Evaluating the Current State of ChatGPT and Its Disruptive Potential: An Empirical Study of Korean Users

This study investigates the perception and adoption of ChatGPT (a large language model (LLM)-based chatbot created by OpenAI) among Korean users and assesses its potential as the next disruptive innovation. Drawing on previous literature, the study proposes perceived intelligence and perceived anthropomorphism as key differentiating factors of ChatGPT from earlier AI-based chatbots. Four individual motives (i.e., perceived usefulness, ease of use, enjoyment, and trust) and two societal motives (social influence and AI anxiety) were identified as antecedents of ChatGPT acceptance. A survey was conducted within two Korean online communities related to artificial intelligence, the findings of which confirm that ChatGPT is being used for both utilitarian and hedonic purposes, and that perceived usefulness and enjoyment positively impact the behavioral intention to adopt the chatbot. However, unlike prior expectations, perceived ease-of-use was not shown to exert significant influence on behavioral intention. Moreover, trust was not found to be a significant influencer to behavioral intention, and while social influence played a substantial role in adoption intention and perceived usefulness, AI anxiety did not show a significant effect. The study confirmed that perceived intelligence and perceived anthropomorphism are constructs that influence the individual factors that influence behavioral intention to adopt and highlights the need for future research to deconstruct and explore the factors that make ChatGPT “enjoyable” and “easy to use” and to better understand its potential as a disruptive technology. Service developers and LLM providers are advised to design user-centric applications, focus on user-friendliness, acknowledge that building trust takes time, and recognize the role of social influence in adoption.