Artificial Intelligence Anxiety and Entrepreneurial Intentions among University Students: The Sequential Mediation of Mindset and Self-Efficacy

AbstractObjective To examine the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) anxiety on entrepreneurial intentions among university students, proposing a chain-mediating model involving entrepreneurial mindset and self-efficacy.Methods Based on a sample of 358 Chinese university students, structural equation modeling (SEM) was conducted using AMOS to analyze the relationships between AI anxiety, entrepreneurial mindset, self-efficacy, and entrepreneurial intention.Results (1) AI anxiety has a marginally significant positive effect on entrepreneurial intention ( = 0.115, p = 0.052); (2) entrepreneurial mindset mediates this relationship with a significant indirect effect (-0.055); (3) entrepreneurial self-efficacy also mediates the relationship, with an effect size of 0.148; and (4) entrepreneurial mindset and self-efficacy jointly form a chain-mediating pathway, contributing a substantial mediating effect (0.191).Conclusion Entrepreneurial mindset and entrepreneurial self-efficacy play a chain-mediating role in the relationship between AI anxiety and entrepreneurial intention.These findings support the integration of AI into entrepreneurship education and practice to harness its potential while addressing student concerns.