Parental AI Investment Behaviours and AI ‐Mediated Informal Digital Learning of English: The Chain Mediating Role of Children's Perceived AI Value and Effort Expectancy for AI

Background The proliferation of generative artificial intelligence (AI) has popularised AI‐Mediated Informal Digital Learning of English (AI‐IDLE). Whilst research in this area is growing, social influencing factors, especially the role of parents as significant others, remain underexplored. Objectives Guided by the Situational Expectancy‐Value Theory (SEVT), this study aims to investigate the impact of parental AI investment behaviours on students' engagement in AI‐IDLE. It specifically examines the mediating roles of Perceived AI Value and Effort Expectancy for AI in this relationship. Methods A questionnaire survey was administered to 2346 primary and secondary school students in China. The collected data were analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM) to test the proposed direct and mediating effects. Results The findings revealed that parental AI investment behaviours directly promoted students' AI‐IDLE engagement. Furthermore, they exerted significant indirect effects through the separate mediating roles of Perceived AI Value and Effort Expectancy for AI, as well as through their chain mediation pathway. Conclusions This research enriches the application of SEVT by extending it to informal, self‐regulated, and technology‐enhanced language learning contexts. It underscores the crucial role parents play in out‐of‐class learning and offers practical insights for guiding children to use AI tools effectively for English proficiency development.