The Impact of Place Attachment on University Graduates’ Intentions to Return Home for Entrepreneurship in the AI Era: An Analytical Framework based on the Theory of Planned Behavior

In the context of the AI era and the digital transformation of society, the employment and entrepreneurial intentions of university graduates are increasingly influenced by both technological evolution and place-based emotional attachment. As critical agents of regional innovation, graduates possess the potential to drive economic revitalization, especially in rural areas. Drawing upon the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), this study incorporates two extended constructs — Place Attachment (PA) and Entrepreneurial Self-efficacy (ESE) — to explore their impact on graduates’ intentions to return to their hometowns for entrepreneurship. A sample of 1,151 university graduates from diverse Chinese institutions was analyzed using structural equation modeling to identify the relational pathways among the variables. The findings reveal that PA and ESE significantly enhance Hometown-based Entrepreneurial Intention (HEI). Additionally, graduates’ perceptions of artificial intelligence play a contextual role by shaping opportunity recognition and influencing their readiness to adopt AI-driven tools in local entrepreneurial ecosystems. The study offers practical insights for regional development policy by highlighting the need to foster both emotional ties to place and digital competencies among youth. It suggests that future policies should support AI-enabled entrepreneurship, particularly in urban and rural transition zones where a strong sense of belonging coexists with emerging digital infrastructure. This dual emphasis is essential for bridging urban–rural divides and promoting sustainable, innovation-led local development.