Documentation, Informaiton & Knowledge ›› 2026, Vol. 43 ›› Issue (3): 156-168.doi: 10.13366/j.dik.2026.03.156

• Intelligence, Information & Sharing • Previous Articles    

Measurement Methods for Intergenerational AI Divide: Scale Development and Application Practice

HU Kailang1, YAN Hui2,3 ZHU Zhenyuan2,4   

  1. 1.Party and Mass Work Department of Chengdu High-tech Zone, Chengdu, 610095;
    2. School of Information Resource Management, Renmin University of China, Beijing,100872;
    3.RUC Institute for AI Governance, Beijing,100872;
    4.Research Center for Digital Humanities of RUC, Beijing,100872
  • Online:2026-05-10 Published:2026-07-26
  • Contact: Correspondence should be addressed to ZHU Zhenyuan, Email: zhuzhenyuan@ruc.edu.cn, ORCID: 0000-0003-3964-253X
  • Supported by:
    This is an outcome of the Key Project "Research on the Disruptive Impact of Artificial Intelligence on the National Economy and Information Governance"(23AZD093)supported by National Social Science Foundation of China.

Abstract: [Purpose/Significance] With the rapid development and widespread application of artificial general intelligence(AGI) technology represented by generative artificial intelligence, the "AI divide" has emerged. A comprehensive portrayal of the AI divide can provide valuable reference for policy-making aimed at bridging the gap and enhancing the inclusiveness in the digital society. [Design/Methodology] This study used semi-structured interviews to collect raw data from individual cases. Based on the interview data, a preliminary AI divide scale was developed through systematic coding. Then, based on the pre-survey results of the scale, a questionnaire survey was conducted for both parents and offspring. Finally, a formal scale was revised and formed. [Findings/Conclusion] After verification through methods such as Cronbach's α coefficient test, KMO test, and Bartlett's sphericity test, an AI divide measurement system applicable to intergenerational contexts, which includes four dimensions: access divide, psychological divide, literacy divide, and benefit divide is constructed. The results of the scale application show that there is a significant intergenerational AI divide, with the offspring outperforming parents in the access divide, literacy divide and overall dimension. [Originality/Value] This study explores the measurement theories and methods of the generational digital divide in the AI era, enriching the theoretical framework on the relationship between AI and society.

Keywords: Artificial general intelligence(AGI), AI divide, Digital divide, Scale development