Unlocking human potential in the AI Age: how employee-AI collaboration transforms work engagement through dual psychological pathways

Abstract

This research explores the impact of Employee–AI collaboration on work engagement, focusing on the psychological mechanisms involved. Given the increasing integration of artificial intelligence in workplaces, understanding these dynamics has become crucial for enhancing employee experience. Using a three-wave time-lagged design, data were collected from knowledge workers utilizing AI technologies in China, yielding 516 valid responses. The study employed confirmatory factor analysis, hierarchical regression, and structural equation modeling to analyze the data. The findings indicate that Employee–AI collaboration positively enhances work engagement by increasing employees' perceptions of meaningful work and creative self-efficacy, with meaningful work and creative self-efficacy serving as partial mediators in this relationship. This research contributes to the Job Demands-Resources theory by identifying Employee–AI collaboration as a novel job resource that fosters engagement through enhanced personal resources. The implications for AI system design and employee training highlight the importance of integrating AI into the workplace sensibly to maximize employee engagement and well-being.