DRIVERS OF AI-ENABLED FINANCIAL SERVICE ADOPTION IN RURAL INDIA: MEDIATING ROLE OF CUSTOMER ATTITUDE

Abstract

This research analyzes the factors influencing the adoption of AI-enabled financial services among rural populations in India, focusing on the mediating effect of customer attitude in the relationship between key determinants trust, perceived value, and digital financial literacy and adoption intention. This study employed a quantitative research design and utilized a structured survey to collect data from 521 rural respondents in various Indian states. The research framework was based on the Theory of Planned Behavior, with customer attitude acting as the mediating construct. This study employed structural equation modeling to investigate both direct and indirect relationships among variables. The findings indicate that trust, perceived value, and digital financial literacy have a significant impact on the adoption of AI-enabled financial services in rural India. Customer attitude has been identified as a significant mediating factor. Trust exhibited the significant direct and indirect impact on customer attitude, similarly perceived value and digital financial literacy revealed both direct and attitude-mediated routes to adoption. This study enhances the existing literature on technology adoption in emerging markets and offers practical insights for developing culturally appropriate AI financial solutions for rural communities.