To investigate nursing undergraduates' readiness and intention to use artificial intelligence,and to elucidate the path of action through which artificial intelligence readiness influences their intention to use artificial intelligence based on the technology acceptance model.

Using convenience sampling,460 nursing undergraduates from five universities in Shandong,Henan,and Sichuan provinces were selected from March to July 2025.Participants were surveyed using a general information questionnaire,the Artificial Intelligence Technology Acceptance Scale,and the Medical Artificial Intelligence Readiness Scale for Medical Students.

Among the 460 nursing undergraduates,the mean item score for artificial intelligence use intention was 5.53±1.13.Mean item scores for dimensions of the Medical Artificial Intelligence Readiness Scale for Medical Students,from lowest to highest,were cognition 2.85±0.79,ability 3.32±0.75,vision 3.54±0.72,and ethics 3.85±0.75.Path analysis results showed that cognition,ability,and ethics indirectly influenced artificial intelligence use intention through the mediating effect of perceived usefulness.Furthermore,cognition,ability,and vision indirectly influenced artificial intelligence use intention through the chain-mediating effects of perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness.

Nursing undergraduates' intention to use artificial intelligence is moderately high,but considerable room for improvement remained.Nursing educators should strengthen training in artificial intelligence knowledge and application skills for nursing undergraduates,while simultaneously fostering their forward-looking vision and awareness of ethics.These measures may enhance nursing undergraduates' artificial intelligence readiness,improve their perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness of artifical intelligence,and consequently increase their intention to use artificial intelligence.