A major challenge of our time is reducing disparities in access to and effective use of digital technologies, with recent discussions highlighting the role of AI in exacerbating the digital divide. We examine user characteristics that predict usage of the AI-powered conversational agent ChatGPT. We combine behavioral and survey data in a web tracked sample of N=1376 German citizens to investigate differences in ChatGPT activity (usage, visits, and adoption) during the first 11 months from the launch of the service (November 30, 2022). Guided by a model of technology acceptance (UTAUT- 2), we examine the role of socio-demographics commonly associated with the digital divide in ChatGPT activity and explore further socio-political attributes identified via stability selection in Lasso regressions. We confirm that lower age and higher education affect ChatGPT usage, but do not find that gender or income do. We find full-time employment and more children to be barriers to ChatGPT activity. Using a variety of social media was positively associated with ChatGPT activity. In terms of political variables, political knowledge and political self-efficacy as well as some political behaviors such as voting, debating political issues online and offline and political action online were all associated with ChatGPT activity, with online political debating and political self-efficacy negatively so. Finally, need for cognition and communication skills such as writing, attending meetings, or giving presentations, were also associated with ChatGPT engagement, though chairing/organizing meetings was negatively associated. Our research informs efforts to address digital disparities and promote digital literacy among underserved populations by presenting implications, recommendations, and discussions on ethical and social issues of our findings.

翻译：当前时代的一项主要挑战在于缩小数字技术获取与有效使用方面的差距，近期讨论尤其关注人工智能在加剧数字鸿沟中的作用。本研究通过考察预测人工智能对话代理ChatGPT使用行为的用户特征，结合行为数据与调查数据，基于N=1376名德国公民的网络追踪样本，分析了该服务推出前11个月（2022年11月30日起）ChatGPT活动（使用频率、访问次数及采纳程度）的差异。以技术接受模型（UTAUT-2）为理论框架，我们检验了数字鸿沟常见关联的社会人口学特征对ChatGPT活动的影响，并通过Lasso回归中的稳定性选择方法探索了其他社会政治属性。研究证实：较低年龄与较高教育程度会促进ChatGPT使用，但未发现性别或收入存在显著影响。全职工作状态与较多子女数量成为ChatGPT活动的阻碍因素。多样化使用社交媒体与ChatGPT活动呈正相关。在政治变量方面，政治知识、政治自我效能以及部分政治行为（如投票、线上线下政治议题辩论、线上政治行动）均与ChatGPT活动相关，其中线上政治辩论与政治自我效能呈负相关。此外，认知需求及沟通技能（如写作、参加会议、进行演示）亦与ChatGPT参与度相关，但主持会议/组织会议呈现负相关。本研究通过揭示实证发现对伦理与社会议题的启示，提出相应建议与讨论，为应对数字不平等、提升弱势群体数字素养的实践提供参考依据。