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@article{183440,
        author = {Nishali B.},
        title = {CHATGPT VS. DEEPSEEK: A STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELING ANALYSIS OF COLLEGE STUDENTS’ PREFERENCES},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2025},
        volume = {12},
        number = {3},
        pages = {1651-1656},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=183440},
        abstract = {This study will investigate the factors influencing the adoption of ChatGPT or DeepSeek among college students in Chennai, focusing on usability, performance, awareness, cost, and institutional influence. As AI-driven chatbots increasingly shape academic learning and research, understanding the key drivers behind students' chatbot preferences will improve their adoption and effectiveness in educational settings. This research will aim to identify the reasons why students prefer one chatbot over the other and assess the relative importance of different influencing factors. To achieve these objectives, the study will employ a structured questionnaire to collect primary data from students across various academic disciplines, including Science & Technology, Business & Management, Social Sciences, and Health Sciences. The questionnaire will cover demographic details, chatbot usage patterns, user satisfaction levels, and perceptions of each chatbot. Responses will be analysed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) in SmartPLS, enabling a detailed examination of the relationships between the independent variables (usability, performance, awareness, cost, privacy, and institutional influence) and the dependent variable (chatbot preference). The findings of this study will offer valuable insights for AI chatbot developers, academic institutions, and policymakers to refine chatbot adoption strategies. Understanding the factors that influence students' choices will help enhance chatbot functionalities, optimize pricing models, and strengthen institutional support for AI-driven learning tools. Furthermore, this research will contribute to the broader discourse on AI adoption in higher education, providing recommendations for improving chatbot usability, engagement, and accessibility among students. The study’s insights will be particularly useful for universities looking to integrate AI chatbots into academic support systems, ensuring that students benefit from efficient, cost-effective, and user-friendly AI-driven learning tools.},
        keywords = {Chatbot adoption, ChatGPT, DeepSeek, usability, institutional influence, SEM modeling, student preference, AI in education.},
        month = {August},
        }