How the Human-Artificial Intelligence (AI) Collaboration Affects Cyberloafing: An AI Identity Perspective

Area of Science:

• Organizational Behavior
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Social Psychology

Background:

• Cyberloafing is a persistent workplace issue impacting productivity.
• Artificial intelligence (AI) collaboration is increasingly prevalent in modern organizations.
• Social Identity Theory (SIT) provides a framework for understanding group dynamics and identity formation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of human-AI collaboration on employee cyberloafing.
• To examine the mediating role of AI identity in the relationship between human-AI collaboration and cyberloafing.
• To explore the moderating effect of openness on the human-AI collaboration-AI identity link.

Main Methods:

• A three-wave longitudinal study was conducted with 381 employees.
• Social Identity Theory was applied to conceptualize the human-AI collaboration dynamics.
• Statistical analyses were used to test the proposed mediation and moderation effects.

Main Results:

• Human-AI collaboration significantly strengthened employees' AI identity.
• Increased AI identity led to a reduction in cyberloafing behaviors.
• Openness moderated the relationship, with high openness amplifying the positive impact of AI collaboration on AI identity and cyberloafing reduction.

Conclusions:

• Human-AI collaboration can be a strategic tool to mitigate employee cyberloafing.
• Fostering a strong AI identity is key to enhancing employee focus on core tasks.
• Organizational interventions should consider personality traits like openness to maximize the benefits of AI collaboration.