An Empirical Study of the Social Development of AI Technology and Its Social Acceptance: The Mediation of Trust and the Moderated Mediation of Ethical Perceptions

Shih-Kai Lin and Hung-Chang Chung

SAGE Open, 2025, vol. 15, issue 3, 21582440251377226

Abstract: This research explores how the social development of artificial intelligence (AISD) impacts its social acceptance (SCA) through both social trust in AI technology (AIST) and social ethical perception of AI technology (AIEP). The results show that AIST serves as a mediator between AISD and SCA, while AIEP serves as a moderator between AIST and SCA, indicating during the process of promoting AI technology that enhancing technological transparency, protecting data privacy, and taking ethical issues into account are all critical to improving SCA. By building and verifying a holistic model that encompasses direct impacts, mediation, moderation, and moderated mediation, this paper offers beneficial insights into the social acceptance mechanism for AI technology and serves as an empirical basis and theoretical support for the development and effective promotion of AI technology.

Keywords: AI technology; social acceptance; data privacy protection; AI-related ethical perceptions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:sagope:v:15:y:2025:i:3:p:21582440251377226

DOI: 10.1177/21582440251377226

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