AI literacy and employment anxiety: The mediating role of career adaptability

Zhong Li¹, Chicheng Wang¹, Liyao Wang¹, Xixi Chu^2,*
1 School of Public Administration, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
2 School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Beijing Institute of Petrochemical Technology, Beijing, China
* Corresponding Author: Xixi Chu. Email: email

Journal of Psychology in Africa https://doi.org/10.32604/jpa.2026.073364

Received 16 September 2025; Accepted 27 February 2026; Published online 26 March 2026

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Abstract

This study investigates the psychological mechanisms through which AI literacy is associated with reduced employment anxiety in university students. Drawing on the Conservation of Resources Theory and the Career Construction Theory, we tested a model where career adaptability mediates the relationship between AI literacy and employment anxiety. Data were collected from 424 Chinese university students (mean age = 22.2 years; 73.82% female; 58.96% undergraduates; and 44.95% studying humanities and social sciences) through a two-wave survey. The results showed that AI literacy was negatively associated with employment anxiety. Furthermore, career adaptability significantly mediated this relationship. The findings highlight the role of AI literacy as a crucial psychological resource and suggest the need for higher education to integrate AI literacy to help reduce university students’ employment anxiety in the AI era.