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Males Villegas, María Soledad
Attitudes Toward Artificial Intelligence in Urban Ecuadorian Populations
2026
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Males Villegas, María Soledad
Artificial intelligenceArtificial intelligence is reshaping how individuals interact with digital systems, influencing education, work, and daily life. Understanding how people perceive and accept intelligent technologies is essential for designing adaptive, human-centered solutions that align with diverse expectations. Although AIArtificial intelligence use is expanding in Latin AmericaLatin America, empirical studies on public attitudes in the region remain scarce. This study examined behavioral patterns among 574 residents of Quito, Ecuador, focusing on how age and occupation influence acceptance, caution, or resistance toward AI. A previously validated attitudinal questionnaire was applied, and statistical analyses assessed both response consistency and the structure of public perceptions. Results showed that younger individuals, especially those aged 18–24, expressed more favorable views of AI than adults aged 25–56. While effect sizes were modest, the trend was consistent. More prominently, students demonstrated higher acceptance than artisans, with a moderate difference in group averages. These findings indicate that generational exposure and occupational context are closely tied to how individuals interpret and engage with emerging technologies. Structural analysis revealed inconsistencies in how attitudes are internally configured, with the overall model falling short of standard expectations for coherence. This suggests the need to refine attitudinal dimensions in future research. Beyond statistical outcomes, the Quito case highlights how urban environments, marked by digital infrastructures alongside persistent inequalities, shape public attitudes toward AI. These insights underscore the importance of sociocultural context in global debates on digital inclusion and provide practical guidance for designing inclusive and responsible intelligent systems. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2026.