Application of artificial intelligence in paid digital news media in Vietnam: An extended UTAUT model approach
Luong Ngoc Dung
Abstract
This study examines the factors influencing readers' intention to use and willingness to pay for AI-enabled paid digital news media in Vietnam based on the Extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). A quantitative research approach was employed through a questionnaire survey of 500 readers who had used digital news platforms within the previous six months. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 29.0, including Cronbach's Alpha reliability testing, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Pearson correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression. The findings indicate that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, trust in AI, perceived content value, and perceived price value positively influence readers' intention to use and willingness to pay, whereas privacy concerns exert a negative effect. Among these factors, perceived content value and trust in AI are the strongest predictors of usage intention, while perceived price value and behavioral intention have the most significant direct effects on willingness to pay. Based on these findings, the study proposes several practical implications to support Vietnamese news organizations in developing effective AI adoption strategies for paid digital news business models.
Keywords
AI, digital news platforms, willingness to pay, behavioral intention
Author information & Contribution
Luong Ngoc Dung. Ho Chi Minh City University of Foreign Languages-Information Technology. Email: dungln@huflit.edu.vn
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.
Funding
This study was entirely self-funded and did not receive any external financial support
Institutional Review Board Statement
This study was conducted in accordance with the ethical guidelines and approved by the Institutional Review Board of Ho Chi Minh City University of Foreign Languages and Information Technology, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam.
Data and Materials Availability
The data supporting the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
AI Declaration
During the preparation of this manuscript, the author used ChatGPT for language editing and proofreading to improve the readability and grammatical accuracy of the manuscript. After using this service, the author thoroughly reviewed and edited the content as needed and takes full responsibility for the final version of the publication.
Notes
Acknowledgement
References
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Cite this article:
Luong Ngoc Dung (2026). Application of artificial intelligence in paid digital news media in Vietnam: An extended UTAUT model approach. International Review of Social Sciences Research, 6(3), 50-74. https://doi.org/10.53378/irssr.353377
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