Direct-Action Paradox in Higher Education: How Artificial Intelligence Bypasses Traditional Psychological Mediators in Developing Technopreneurship Competency

Abstract

The rapid integration of generative technologies in the Global South necessitates a reassessment of how higher education institutions foster graduate readiness for the digital economy. This study examines the structural synergy between the utilization of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and e-learning ecosystems in developing technopreneurship competency among management students in Indonesia. Using a multi-path structural equation modeling (SEM-PLS) approach, data were collected from 168 senior-level undergraduate students to test 12 hypotheses encompassing technological, cognitive, and contextual factors. The results reveal that AI utilization serves as the undisputed primary engine for competency acquisition, exerting a transformative influence that far outweighs traditional e-learning infrastructure. A distinctive "Direct-Action Paradox" was identified, in which AI directly drives competency, bypassing traditional psychological mediators such as digital self-efficacy and formalized intention. This finding suggests that the immediate utility and accessibility of generative AI may redistribute aspects of cognitive agency from individuals to intelligent technological systems, enabling competency development through direct task execution rather than sequential psychological processes. Conversely, e-learning systems were found to be effective primarily as structural facilitators that sharpen entrepreneurial alertness. Furthermore, Importance-Performance Map Analysis (IPMA) identifies AI performance as a high-priority area for institutional reform, suggesting a strategic pivot from maintaining basic digital platforms toward deep-tier AI integration. However, the findings also highlight the importance of balancing AI adoption with critical and reflective learning practices to mitigate the risk of excessive technological dependency. These findings provide a robust framework for university administrators seeking to balance global technological trends with local ethical grounding in the pursuit of resilient technopreneurial graduates.