Table 1_AI-enhanced social media affordances and intercultural communication competence: engagement, identity integration, and English proficiency.docx

This study examined the associations between AI-enhanced social media affordances (AIESMA) and self-reported intercultural communication competence (ICC) among Chinese university students in business-related majors, focusing on the explanatory roles of intercultural interaction engagement (IIE) and cultural identity integration (CII), and the moderating role of self-reported English proficiency.</p>Methods<p>A two-study design was employed using two independent samples totaling 1,200 Chinese university students in business-related majors.

Study 1 involved 400 respondents and focused on instrument development and preliminary validation through expert review, cognitive interviews, exploratory factor analysis, and reliability assessment. Study 2 included 800 independent respondents and tested the measurement and structural models using partial least squares structural equation modeling, including direct, indirect, sequential indirect, moderation, and moderated mediation analyses.</p>Results<p>AIESMA was positively associated with IIE and CII, whereas its direct association with self-reported ICC was not statistically significant after IIE and CII were included in the model.