AI-ENABLED COMMUNICATION EFFICIENCY AS A MEDIATOR BETWEEN REGULATORY ADAPTATION, INTERCULTURAL TRAINING, AND PROJECT PERFORMANCE IN GEOSITE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT: A CASE OF YUNNAN CONSTRUCTION AND INVESTMENT HOLDING GROUP

Abstract

This study develops and tests a mediation model in which AI-enabled communication efficiency (AICE) transmits the effects of regulatory adaptation (RA) and intercultural training (ICT) to project performance (PP) in geosite tourism development projects associated with Yunnan Construction and Investment Holding Group (YCIH). A sequential quantitative design is specified and analyzed data from 320 respondents that represents stakeholder responses in a provincial state-owned enterprise project context. Quantitative analysis follows the structure: indicator loadings, reliability (ρA, ρc, α), convergent validity (AVE), discriminant validity (Fornell–Larcker and HTMT), structural paths with bootstrapped standard errors, effect sizes (f²), and predictive diagnostics (R², Q²predict, RMSE, MAE). Regulatory adaptation and intercultural training both improve AI-enabled communication efficiency (β = 0.430 and 0.370, p < 0.001). AI-enabled communication efficiency improves project performance (β = 0.410, p < 0.001) and partially mediates the effects of regulatory adaptation and intercultural training on performance (indirect effects β = 0.176 and 0.152, p < 0.001). The model explains 38.2% of the variance in AICE and 45.3% in PP, with acceptable predictive relevance (Q²predict = 0.369 for AICE; 0.436 for PP). For geosite tourism development, where projects must satisfy geopark governance expectations for visibility, conservation, and community participation. This study positions AICE as a managerial lever that makes regulatory and intercultural capabilities “actionable.” It suggests that horizon scanning and cross-cultural capability building yield stronger performance benefits when project teams adopt AIsupported translation, summarisation, and knowledge-routing routines consistent with responsible AI governance.