The Role of AI and Digital Procurement Tools in UK Higher Education Procurement: Examining Perception, Adoption and Challenges

This paper examines the perception, adoption, and challenges of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital procurement tools within UK higher education procurement (HEP). Drawing on an integrated framework combining the Four AI Challenges Model and the Technology–Organisation–Environment (TOE) framework, the study analyses survey data from procurement professionals across UK universities. The findings show that AI adoption remains exploratory and fragmented, driven primarily by technological immaturity and regulatory constraints rather than organisational resistance. Trust, data quality, system interoperability, and compliance uncertainty emerge as decisive factors shaping adoption, highlighting the need for sector-specific, governance-aligned approaches to responsible AI integration in HEP.