The Positive Effects of Employee AI Dependence on Voice Behavior—Based on Power Dependence Theory

The rapid integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into organizational workflows is re-shaping traditional patterns of interaction between leaders and employees. Grounded in power dependence theory, this study investigates how employees' voluntary dependence on AI influences leader-subordinate power relations and, consequently, influences employees' voice behavior. We propose that employees' dependence on AI can increase their perceived power when interacting with leaders, which subsequently enhances their willingness to offer constructive suggestions or question established practices. Furthermore, we propose that the extent to which leadership tasks can be substituted by AI plays a moderating role in this process. Coaching leadership, characterized by its emphasis on guiding task performance and developing employee skills, may be particularly sensitive to such substitution. Using two experimental studies and two survey investigations, we provide evidence that employees' AI dependence is positively associated with voice behavior through heightened perceptions of personal power, and that this relationship is strengthened under high levels of coaching leadership. These findings advance leadership theory by explicating how AI adoption alters foundational power structures in the workplace and by identifying a novel, power-based pathway linking AI use to proactive employee behaviors. The study contributes to emerging discussions on effective leadership in technologically augmented organizations and offers empirical insights into how leaders can adapt their roles and behaviors in the new era of AI-driven work.