University Teachers’ Attitudes towards Artificial Intelligence across Professional Fields

Abstract

This study analyzes the cultural, disciplinary and organizational factors in the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), and reveals the key role of teachers in the digital transformation of higher education. Respondents are representatives of different professional fields and countries, but the sample examines their participation through the prism of a global interdisciplinary perspective. It is assumed that the affiliation of university teachers to a particular professional field determines their attitudes towards the integration of Artificial Intelligence in teaching. A standardized questionnaire is applied, which includes: demographic information; experience with AI; attitude scales adapted from specific models; resistance to the use of AI; understanding of the potential of AI and understanding the risks of integrating it into the learning process. Data are analyzed using descriptive statistics, ANOVA/MANOVA for group differences, regression analysis and SEM for determinants of the intention to use AI, cluster analysis for user profiling and thematic coding of open-ended responses. Thus, the study contributes to the understanding of the mechanisms through which personal motivation, professional identity and institutional environment interact to shape attitudes towards the use of AI. The results show diverse disciplinary perspectives and reveal the dual nature of the process of integrating AI in higher education: 1) They identify a need for both positive attitude formation and digital skills development; 2) They clarify the determining importance of professional fields - as specific, organizational and cultural contexts in which technologies are introduced. The conclusions practically contribute to the adaptation of higher education to the digital age.