Artificial Intelligence and Employee Innovative Work Behavior: The Moderating Role of Psychological Capital

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is driving a transformation in the world of work, helping to improve decision making, automate repetitive tasks and provide employees with new opportunities to be creative and innovative. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between the use of AI and Innovative Work Behavior (IWB) of the employees and to investigate the moderating role of Psychological Capital (PsyCap) in this relationship. The study is based on the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) theory which posits that AI can be a resource at work, but can also be a demand requiring more complexity, uncertainty, and technological stress. A multi-wave longitudinal survey design was used, and the data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), which aimed to survey employees in sectors that have integrated AI and to analyze the data in that regard. The results show that the use of AI positively impacts innovative work behavior, suggesting that effective use of AI contributes to increased innovative work behavior among employees. Moreover, psychological capital (hope, self-efficacy, resilience and optimism) is a positive link with innovative work behaviors and acts as a facilitator of employees' adaptation to technological changes.