AI literacy and digital psychological states: social-behavioral implications for FOMO and NOMOPHOBIA over time (2019–2025)

BACKGROUND: AI literacy has become increasingly relevant in digitally mediated environments, yet its relationship with fear of missing out (FOMO) and nomophobia remains underexplored. METHOD: The study used an exploratory design to examine associations between AI literacy measured in 2025 and nomophobia and FOMO assessed at two time points (2019 and 2025). RESULTS: Although descriptive trends indicated that individuals with higher AI literacy tended to report lower nomophobia and higher FOMO scores, these interaction effects did not reach statistical significance. Accordingly, the findings should be considered preliminary and warrant further investigation. CONCLUSIONS: The study provides exploratory and cross-sectional evidence on how AI literacy may be associated with AI literacy and digital psychological experiences at the 2025 measurement point, alongside longitudinal trends in nomophobia and FOMO. Accordingly, AI literacy was measured cross-sectionally and the sample is small (N = 30), the findings cannot be interpreted as causal, predictive, or differential effects over time, and should be read as preliminary patterns that require confirmation in larger, multi-wave studies.