Traditionality vs. modernity: examining entrepreneurial intentions at the digital technology era

Abstract Research on generative artificial intelligence (AI) has expanded rapidly with the emergence of innovative ideas and technology, attracting growing interest from scholars in both management and education. However, its role in shaping the way culture affects entrepreneurial intention remains underexplored. To address this gap, we examine the moderating role of generative AI between cultural dimensions; traditionality and modernity and digital and social entrepreneurial intentions. Based on empirical data collected from 390 university students in the UAE, our findings indicate that traditionality negatively influences digital entrepreneurial intention but positively affects social entrepreneurial intention. However, modernity is positively associated with digital entrepreneurship but negatively linked to social entrepreneurship. However, Generative-AI turns the negative relationship into positive, indicating that the use of Generative-AI motivates traditionally oriented students toward digital entrepreneurship and modern rooted students toward social entrepreneurship. The findings provide useful implications in sustaining social entrepreneurship in the digital edge, revealing that the use of AI plays a crucial role in shaping modern cultures toward social entrepreneurship. This study extend the scope of the theory of planned behaviors, and contributes to the growing body of literature on culture, innovation and sustainable entrepreneurship in the digital era and provides valuable policy and practical implications for fostering entrepreneurship in culturally diverse contexts.