Adaptive AI for Personalized Intercultural Communication Education: A Conversational Agent Powered by Retrieval-Augmented Generation (Student Abstract)

Abstract

Traditional intercultural communication training often lacks safe spaces for open practice, leading to self-censorship and limited skill development. The ICC Tutor, an AI-powered conversational system, addresses this by offering a private, nonjudgmental environment for reflection and dialog. Using retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), the system grounds its prompts and feedback in course materials. We conducted a mixed-methods study (N = 25) with Beginner/Intermediate and expert learners. Preliminary findings suggest that the tutor helped reduce feelings of nervousness. While many beginners reported increased confidence in intercultural communication, expert learners’ confidence temporarily decreased, suggesting the AI’s role in fostering deeper self-reflection rather than just boosting perceived competence. These findings underscore the potential of AI tutors in supporting communication education and highlight the need for experience-adaptive designs to support nuanced learning trajectories.