Prof. Aivars Spilbergs

University in Riga, Latvia



Title of the paper: The impact of social norms as a moderator in generative AI adoption by social science students and researchers: PLS-SEM approach


Abstract: Integrating generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) into social science studies and research presents opportunities and challenges. This study aims to identify and analyze the key factors influencing the adoption of GenAI in social science studies using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model. An expanded study of previous research has been carried out in the theoretical part. In contrast, the empirical part is based on the study of the results of a survey of social science students and researchers from universities in the Baltic Sea region. The partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) method assessed relationships between variables under investigation. Our findings indicate that habit, study values, and social norms significantly impact the adoption of GenAI. Additionally, the study highlights the role of social norms as a moderator variable impacting the use of GenAI in social science studies. This research contributes to the broader understanding of how GenAI can be leveraged to enhance social science studies and research while addressing the challenges associated with its adoption.

Bio: Prof. Aivars Spilbergs is currently the head of the Economics and Finance Department at BA School of Business and Finance in Latvia, a leading researcher of BA SBF, and an expert in Social Sciences at the Latvian Academy of Sciences. Formerly, he has also been the head of the Risk Center and the Risk Management Department at SEB banka Latvia, as well as the head of the Mathematical Economics Department at the University of Latvia. He has promoted highly interdisciplinary studies in risk management and digital transformation in finance, participating in several scientific projects. Currently, he is extending the quantitative and qualitative research methods to evaluate the impact of AI on enhancing social science studies. He has published over 50 articles and received about 196 citations with an eight h-index in Scopus; 458 citations with a 10 h-index in Google Scholar.




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