This qualitative research, grounded in Ethnic Studies, explores how diverse Malaysian youth (undergraduate to PhD students from various ethnic, religious, and socio-cultural backgrounds) engage with AI-mediated content and platforms. The study examines how digital fluency affects their media consumption, identity expression, and online intercultural communication practices. The analysis establishes a critical framework examining three key areas, (1) The intersection of digital fluency with issues of cultural identity and belonging. (2) How young users actively negotiate algorithm-driven environments that frequently reflect and reinforce social biases. (3) The function of social media-contained algorithms as a powerful socio-cultural agent influencing intercultural dynamics, rather than merely a technological tool. A recurring and central finding is the youth's strategic use of bargaining and negotiation to navigate online spaces, highlighting active engagement and critical literacy over passive consumption. Aligned with the theme of AI in Educational Practices, this research offers a critical disciplinary perspective by linking AI and digital learning to Ethnic Studies. It provides vital insights into how AI shapes the everyday digital practices of diverse youth and furnishes a crucial framework for understanding intercultural communication in algorithm-mediated contexts.

Authors:
Nurul Akqmie Badrul Hisham, National University of Malaysia, Malaysia
Shamsul Amri Baharuddin, The National University of Malaysia, Malaysia

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Nurul Akqmie Binti Badrul Hisham is a Research Fellow at Institute of Ethnic Studies (KITA) National University of Malaysia.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Monday Schedule

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