Understanding the Adoption of AI Hotel Chatbots: The Role of Technology Readiness and Consumer Perceptions

This study examines the adoption of AI-enabled hotel chatbots by investigating the role of technology readiness and consumer perceptions in shaping guests’ attitudes and behavioral intentions. Drawing upon the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Technology Readiness Index (TRI 2.0), the research integrates technological and psychological determinants of AI service adoption in hospitality settings. Data were collected from 270 hotel guests who had previously interacted with chatbots in four-star hotels in Jakarta and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results indicate that technology readiness, perceived convenience, and perceived information quality significantly influence guests’ attitudes toward AI hotel chatbots. However, attitude and perceived convenience do not directly translate into adoption intention, revealing an attitude–intention gap. The model explains 61% of the variance in attitude and 38% in behavioral intention. These findings extend technology adoption literature by highlighting the role of psychological readiness and service perceptions in shaping guest adoption of AI-enabled hospitality technologies.