Generative AI Usage and Entrepreneurial Decision Readiness: The Roles of Decision Quality and AI Literacy

Abstract

This study examines the impact of Generative AI Usage Intensity on Entrepreneurial Decision Readiness among university students, with Data-Driven Decision Quality serving as a mediating variable and AI Literacy as a moderating variable. The rapid advancement of generative artificial intelligence has transformed how individuals process information and support decision-making, particularly in entrepreneurial contexts characterized by uncertainty and risk. A quantitative approach was employed using a survey of 150 university students who had prior experience using generative AI tools. Data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results indicate that Generative AI Usage Intensity significantly influences Data-Driven Decision Quality (β = 0.914, p < 0.001) and Entrepreneurial Decision Readiness (β = 0.498, p < 0.001). DataDriven Decision Quality also has a significant positive effect on Entrepreneurial Decision Readiness (β = 0.371, p < 0.001) and partially mediates the relationship between Generative AI Usage Intensity and Entrepreneurial Decision Readiness. Furthermore, AI Literacy strengthens the relationship between Generative AI Usage Intensity and Data-Driven Decision Quality (β = 0.140, p = 0.037). The model explains 67.1% of the variance in Entrepreneurial Decision Readiness (R2 = 0.671). These findings highlight that the effectiveness of generative AI depends not only on usage intensity but also on users’ ability to critically evaluate and interpret AI-generated outputs.