Willingness to pay and dependence on Generative Artificial Intelligence. Scale validation and structural model
Published 2026-08-17
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Copyright (c) 2026 Revista Panamericana de Pedagogía

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Abstract
The proliferation of monetization models in Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) raises critical concerns regarding equity and intellectual autonomy among university students. The objective was to validate the Intention to Pay and Dependence on Generative Artificial Intelligence Among University Students (INPADE) scale and determine the predictive value of payment intention on dependence toward generative artificial intelligence in the university context. A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 1,047 undergraduate students in Basic Education from the Universidad Pedagógica Veracruzana in Mexico. The sample distribution by biological sex was 78.6% female and 21.4% male. Data processing included Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (EFA/CFA), measurement invariance by sex, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) using SPSS, AMOS, and JASP software. The results confirmed a two-factor structure comprising 10 items, with acceptable internal consistency (α > .852) and scalar invariance between males and females. The primary finding through SEM demonstrated that payment intention positively and significantly predicts technological dependence (β = .297; p < .001). It is concluded that the INPADE scale possesses robust psychometric properties, and it is empirically demonstrated that payment intention significantly predicts greater dependence toward artificial intelligence.
Keywords
- Educational technology,
- Higher education,
- Internet,
- Learning,
- University student
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