"Fad, Fraud, or Future? A Qualitative Inquiry into Generative AI Adoption, Resistance, and Ambivalence"

Generative AI has transformed how we search for and process information in both personal and professional environments. Despite its rapid diffusion, the specific factors driving or hindering individual adoption remain underexplored. To bridge this gap, we conducted a qualitative study focused on ChatGPT and identified a range of technological, personal, organizational, and social factors influencing users’ acceptance, resistance, and ambivalence. We also examined emotional, experiential, and ethical responses that explain divergent usage trajectories. Building on these insights, we propose a comprehensive framework that maps the constructs and relationships that shape generative AI adoption, resistance, and ambivalence. Further, we highlight a series of paradoxes (e.g., simplicity vs. complexity, technophobia vs. technophilia, techno-optimism vs. techno-pessimism, overdependence vs. independence, and mandatory vs. volitional use) that collectively complicate human-generative AI interactions. This study extends technology adoption literature by incorporating emergent themes specific to generative AI while offering practical implications for AI designers and policymakers.