Existing literature on chatbot acceptance has largely relied on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) or Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), often neglecting the broader political, cultural, and attitudinal factors that shape user perceptions. Drawing on a cross-national survey conducted across four countries, we confirm the explanatory power of TAM/UTAUT indicators, while uncovering new determinants rooted in political values and cross-national perceptions. Specifically, participants are more likely to accept chatbots originating from countries toward which they hold positive sentiments — a country-of-origin effect linked to evaluations of political systems and technological advancement. Moreover, political ideology and technological openness significantly influence acceptance levels, but privacy concerns play a surprisingly minor role, except that German and American respondents' concern about excessive data collection hinders the acceptance of chatbots. These findings suggest that chatbot adoption is not merely a matter of technological functionality but also of political perception and cultural trust.