The rapid diffusion of artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education necessitates a deeper understanding of both institutional and individual factors influencing its adoption, particularly in developing-country contexts. This study examines the drivers of AI adoption in Indonesian higher education institutions by integrating the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Technology, Organization, Environment (TOE) framework. Addressing a gap in prior research that often separates individual acceptance from institutional readiness, this study adopts a quantitative survey approach involving 366 academic stakeholders, including lecturers, students, and administrative staff. Data collected between October and December 2025 were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings indicate that perceived ease of use strongly influences attitude toward AI, which in turn significantly affects behavioral intention. Perceived usefulness also has a positive, albeit weaker, effect on behavioral intention. At the institutional level, environmental context is found to significantly influence AI readiness, while other contextual factors exhibit limited explanatory power. Several hypothesized relationships, including the effects of AI readiness on perceived usefulness and the moderating roles of digital literacy and top management support, are not supported. These results suggest that AI adoption in higher education is primarily shaped by user-centered factors, while institutional readiness may depend on additional determinants not fully captured in the model. This study provides empirical insights into the role of AI readiness as an intermediate construct within an integrated TAM–TOE framework in higher education.
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