Academic thriving in AI-assisted learning: Necessary psychological conditions among Chinese university students

Academic thriving reflects students’ continued learning and vitality. However, little is known about the psychological conditions needed for students to thrive when AI supports university learning. This study examined whether autonomy, competence, and relatedness were necessary conditions for academic thriving among 812 Chinese undergraduates who had used AI in their studies. Necessary condition analysis and bottleneck analysis were applied to overall thriving and its two dimensions. All three needs were necessary for overall thriving. Autonomy and competence showed similar medium effects, while relatedness had a slightly smaller effect. Competence was the main necessary condition for learning, whereas autonomy was the strongest constraint on vitality. Relatedness became increasingly important at the highest levels of vitality and overall thriving. These findings indicate that AI-supported education should strengthen competence, support meaningful choice, and maintain supportive relationships with teachers and peers.