Unpacking the Underlying Factors Behind Behavioral Intention to Use GenAI: The Roles of Motivation and Resilience

With the emergence of positive psychology (PP), resilience has gained increasing attention as a positive quality. Additionally, motivation serves as a crucial driving factor in second language (L2) learning. While prior research has primarily focused on their influence within the specific domain, at the macro level, limited attention has been paid to how these variables interact with learners’ behavioral intentions in technology-enhanced environments. Addressing this gap, the present study examines the relationships among motivation, resilience, and behavioral intention to use generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools in language learning among Chinese English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners ( N  = 502). Data were collected via three validated closed-ended questionnaires. Structural equation modeling revealed that both motivation and resilience significantly predict learners’ intention to adopt GenAI, with resilience serving as a significant mediator in the motivation-intention relationship. These findings suggest that fostering resilience-oriented motivation strategies could be a valuable component of EFL instruction to support positive engagement in GenAI-assisted language learning contexts; however, such integration should be explored with consideration of the cross-sectional design, which precludes claims about causality or actual learning outcomes.