Abstract
<jats:p>The Rehumanizing Pedagogical Framework (RPF) advanced herein treats empathy, humor, and ethical awareness as assessable learning outcomes in AI-mediated intercultural communication within distance foreign language education. Grounded in intercultural communicative competence theory and human-machine communication research, the framework identifies four design mediators: task design, feedback design, interface affordances, and governance. These mediators preserve the relational core of intercultural learning while positioning AI as a pedagogical resource rather than an unchecked authority. The analysis situates these mediators within debates on agentic AI, cultural bias in large language models, and governance conditions that covary with perceived intercultural benefit. Evaluation triangulates self-reported dispositions, interactional evidence of repair and audience-safe humor, and ethical practice artifacts. The chapter concludes with a tiered research agenda and recommendations for programs seeking to integrate AI without eroding the human dimensions of intercultural dialogue.</jats:p>