Measuring the Cultural Readiness of Iranian Society in Adopting Artificial Intelligence-Based Technologies

Document Type : Research paper

Authors
Mohammad Hosein Poorhomauon
Mojtaba Shahnoushi
Associate Professor of Sociology,Department of Culture and Communication,ISF.C.,Islamic Azad University,Isfahan,Iran
Abstract
This study aims to measure the cultural readiness of Iranian society in adopting artificial intelligence-based technologies and to identify the most significant cultural challenges facing this process. This research employed a sequential exploratory mixed-methods approach, utilizing the Delphi method in the qualitative phase and a survey in the quantitative phase. In the qualitative section, 18 experts in communication sciences, sociology of technology, and artificial intelligence were selected through purposive sampling, and data were analyzed using thematic analysis in MAXQDA software. In the quantitative section, 450 citizens of Isfahan were selected through multi-stage cluster sampling and completed a researcher-made questionnaire with confirmed validity and reliability, of which 428 questionnaires were analyzable. Data analysis was performed using SPSS and AMOS software, employing descriptive statistics, one-sample t-test, one-way ANOVA, multiple regression, and confirmatory factor analysis. The results indicated that cultural readiness can be measured across three dimensions: cognitive, attitudinal, and behavioral. The mean score of cultural readiness on a 5-point scale was 2.84 (SD=0.67), which is below the average level. The attitudinal dimension had the highest mean (3.12), while the behavioral dimension had the lowest (2.58). The most significant cultural challenges included the incompatibility of existing algorithms with Iran's cultural context (78.2%), threat to the Persian language (72.4%), and value conflict with indigenous communication norms (65.1%). ANOVA revealed significant differences between three generations in cultural readiness, with Generation Z showing the highest readiness (M=3.42) and Generation X the lowest (M=2.21). Regression results indicated that age (β=-0.32), education level (β=0.28), and prior use of digital technologies (β=0.35) were significant predictors of cultural readiness. The cultural readiness of Iranian society for adopting artificial intelligence is not at a desirable level. It is essential for policymakers to develop algorithmic literacy, localize language models, and formulate ethical-cultural frameworks appropriate to Iranian society to facilitate informed adoption of this technology aligned with cultural values.

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