Artificial intelligence awareness, career resilience, job insecurity and behavioural outcomes

ABSTRACT Objective As artificial intelligence has developed over the years, it has significantly influenced society as it has assisted people with their everyday lives. However, from the workplace perspective as artificial intelligence can help increase performance, it can also allow employees to perceive that their jobs can someday be replaced by it. Thus, the study explored the proximal and distal outcomes of artificial intelligence awareness on job insecurity, task performance and deviant behaviour as well as the moderating role of career resilience for the relationship between artificial intelligence awareness and job insecurity. Method Data were collected through a self-administered survey over three intervals. Participants were full-time office employees residing in South Korea. Results This study found that job insecurity mediated the relationships between artificial intelligence awareness and both task performance and deviant behaviour. Furthermore, career resilience moderated the relationship between artificial intelligence awareness and job insecurity. Conclusions Although technological advancements are intended to improve organisational outcomes, the study revealed that employees can develop negative perceptions of AI, leading to adverse workplace outcomes, such as increased job insecurity, deviant behaviour and decreased task performance. Furthermore, the study found career resilience to moderate the relationship between AI and job insecurity which then was found to mediate the model. These findings contribute to the existing literature and provide valuable insights for organisations aiming to mitigate the negative effects of AI. KEY POINTS What is already known about this topic: Despite the numerous benefits AI brings to business management, its adoption leads employees to worry that their jobs may someday be replaced by AI. Job insecurity results in numerous negative organisational outcomes such as reduced job satisfaction, organisational commitment, organisational citizenship behaviour and job performance. Career resilience has a positive impact on career outcomes, and individuals with higher career resilience perceive less risk in response to workplace changes. What this topic adds: AI awareness increases job insecurity, which in turn mediates the relationship between AI awareness and task performance and deviant behaviour. Career resilience moderates the relationship between AI awareness and job insecurity, which then resulted in a mediated moderation relationship within the study model. This study expands the existing theoretical understanding by identifying the mechanism and boundary conditions underlying the negative organisational outcomes of AI awareness.