“Alexa, let’s talk about my productivity”: The impact of digital assistants on work productivity

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has significantly reshaped work patterns and the environment, forcing organisations to adopt remote working where possible. The shift of work patterns has accelerated digitalisation and inspired innovative uses of technology to accommodate the new work style and living conditions. Working from home meant that applications and services typically found in home settings but not in office ones, such as digital assistants based on artificial intelligence (AI), could be utilised. Given the embeddedness of digital assistants in individuals’ life and the likely long - term role of remote work in the future, this study pursued two objectives. First, it aimed to explore the factors conducive to the use of AI, which can lead to satisfaction with the use of technology. Secondly, it aimed to examine the impact of individuals’ satisfaction on individuals’ productivity and job engagement. The study employed a survey research design to collect 536 responses from individuals who used digital assistants for work purposes. Using structural equation modelling, the study tested the correlation of two groups of factors: the beliefs about technology utilisation and digital assistants, with satisfaction. Then, we explored the relationship between satisfaction and work-related outcomes. Path analysis showed that performance expectancy, perceived enjoyment, intelligence, social presence and trust determine satisfaction with digital assistants. The results also confirmed that satisfaction is strongly related to productivity and job engagement. The findings of this paper contribute to the literature focusing on the use of digital assistants and the research on using artificial intelligence related to supporting and complementing work tasks. Also, the findings provide practical implications by informing developers about the features of the technology that would help realise the promised benefits of such assistants.