Organizational Factors Affecting the Adoption of Artificial Intelligence in the UAE Education Sector with the Mediating Role of Organizational Culture

Abstract

Studies have consistently demonstrated that organizational factors are the primary drivers of AI adoption in the education sector, significantly influenced by the transformative role of organizational culture. Consequently, this study investigates the organizational factors affecting the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in the UAE education sector, with organizational culture acting as a mediator. The investigation was conducted through a relationship model comprising four independent constructs which are management support, organizational resources, management capability, and awareness of AI. Organizational culture serves as the mediator, and the dependent variable is the adoption of AI. The model was rigorously evaluated using SmartPLS software to ensure it met the fitness criteria for both measurement and structural components. The results indicate that the model has a high R² value, suggesting effective explanatory power. Specifically, in terms of the strength and significance of relationships, it was found that management support has a significant negative indirect effect on AI adoption through organizational culture, with a path strength of -0.42. Meanwhile, organizational resources showed a small positive indirect effect (path strength of 0.045), which was not statistically significant. Furthermore, both management capability and awareness of AI had significant negative indirect effects, with path strengths of -0.093 and -0.085, respectively. Regarding mediation effects, organizational culture partially mediated the relationship between management support and AI adoption, as well as between management capability and AI adoption. Additionally, it fully mediated the relationship between awareness of AI and AI adoption. However, organizational culture did not mediate the relationship between organizational resources and AI adoption. The results of this study can assist to improve UAE education sector in adopting AI.