From Synergy to Strain: Exploring the Psychological Mechanisms Linking Employee-AI Collaboration and Knowledge Hiding

Area of Science:

• Organizational Psychology
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Artificial Intelligence Ethics

Background:

• Artificial intelligence (AI) integration is reshaping workplace dynamics and employee experiences.
• Understanding the psychological impact of human-AI collaboration is crucial for organizational adaptation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the psychological challenges and coping mechanisms in employee-AI collaboration.
• To investigate the mediating role of job insecurity and the moderating role of AI trust in the relationship between employee-AI collaboration and knowledge hiding.

Main Methods:

• A three-wave time-lagged survey was conducted with 348 employees in Chinese knowledge-intensive enterprises.
• Cognitive Appraisal Theory provided the framework for analyzing employee responses to AI collaboration.
• Statistical analysis examined the direct, mediating, and moderating effects.

Main Results:

• Employee-AI collaboration significantly increases job insecurity.
• Job insecurity was found to foster knowledge-hiding behavior, mediating the collaboration-hiding link.
• Trust in AI buffered the negative effects of collaboration on job insecurity and subsequent knowledge hiding.

Conclusions:

• AI collaboration presents a paradox: while boosting efficiency, it can trigger defensive behaviors like knowledge hiding.
• Cultivating AI trust is essential for mitigating job insecurity and promoting psychological security in human-AI collaboration.
• Findings offer practical strategies for managers to foster trust and psychological safety, enhancing innovation through effective human-AI teamwork.