This study examines GenAI adoption in the NWU Faculty of Engineering using the UTAUT model and a “crossing the chasm” framework. Survey results show a transitional, pre-chasm stage with fragmented, uneven adoption: a small group of early adopters actively uses GenAI, while most staff use it cautiously, inconsistently, or minimally, indicating adoption has not yet reached the early majority.

Although staff generally recognise GenAI’s efficiency and productivity benefits, this does not lead to sustained or standardised use. Adoption is limited by effort-related barriers, including low skills and confidence, and by weak facilitating conditions such as unclear policies, lack of training, and uncertainty about acceptable use. Ethical and professional concerns—especially around academic integrity, reliability, and accreditation—also restrict uptake. These results mirror wider research showing that positive views of GenAI often coexist with serious concerns, limited social influence, and inadequate institutional support (Nikolic et al., 2024; Baig and Yadegaridehkordi, 2025).

A key finding is the rise of a “shadow AI ecosystem,” in which informal tool use surpasses institutional platforms, creating governance and quality risks. Weak social influence indicates that adoption is individual rather than culturally embedded, aligning with UTAUT views on social norms and facilitating conditions (Venkatesh et al., 2003). The roles of AI literacy, facilitating conditions, and trust show that adoption depends on wider socio-technical factors, not perceived usefulness alone (Granić, 2025). GenAI adoption is constrained less by perceived value than by institutional misalignment, capability gaps, and professional uncertainty. To cross the chasm, the Faculty must adopt structured, policy-aligned, capacity-building integration strategies.