The mediating role of individual innovativeness in the relationship between career engagement and artificial intelligence anxiety

Abstract

This study investigates the mediating role of individual innovativeness in the relationship between career engagement and artificial intelligence (AI) anxiety among university students. Using data from 277 univeristy students, the study employed two-stage structural equation modeling and conducted mediation analysis. Model fit was assessed through chi-square difference tests and comparative fit indices (AIC, ECVI), with the significance of mediation evaluated via bootstrap analysis. Results indicate that while career engagement significantly predicts individual innovativeness, it does not directly predict AI anxiety. However, individual innovativeness significantly predicts AI anxiety and mediates the relationship between career engagement and AI anxiety. These findings highlight the theoretical relevance of individual innovativeness as a psychological mechanism linking proactive career behaviors to emotional responses to emerging technologies. Practically, the study underscore the importance of fostering both career engagement and innovativeness in higher education settings to help students navigate technological uncertainty and reduce AI-related anxieties.