这项研究揭示了AI在跨文化适应中的真实使用场景和局限，做教育科技产品或留学生服务的团队值得关注——它指出了从短期急救转向长期陪伴的设计方向。
一项针对60名国际学生的调查和14人访谈研究发现，AI聊天机器人（如ChatGPT、Gemini）被广泛用于应对跨文化适应中的即时挑战，如语言障碍、社交困惑和行政问题。学生将AI视为“急救工具”，但希望其能发展为长期支持伴侣。研究指出当前AI在提供深度文化理解和情感支持方面仍有不足，并提出了设计更贴合国际学生需求的AI支持系统的建议。
Understanding How International Students in the U.S. Are Using Conversational AI to Support Cross-Cultural Adaptation
Moving to a new culture and adapting to a new life, as an international student, can be a stressful experience. In the US, international students face unique overlapping challenges, yet the current support ecosystem, including university support systems and informal social networks, remains largely fragmented. While conversational AI has emerged as a tool used by many (e.g., generative AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Google Gemini), we do not have a clear understanding of how international students adopt and perceive these technologies as support tools. We conducted a survey study (n=60) to map the relationship between international students' challenges and AI adoption patterns, followed by an interview study with 14 participants to identify the underlying motivations and boundaries of use. Our findings show that AI is perceived as a first-aid tool for immediate challenges, however, there is an interest in transforming AI from a tool for short-term help into a long-term support companion. By identifying where and how AI can provide long-term support, and where it is insufficient, we contribute recommendations for creating AI-powered support tailored to the unique needs of international students.