Change is always permanent: the role of ChatGPT on knowledge workers’ productivity and innovative behavior

Purpose Knowledge-based organizations can enhance their operations by using artificial intelligence while ensuring ethical standards. This paper aims to investigate the mechanism by which Chat Generative Pre-Trained Transformer (ChatGPT) can benefit organizations and contribute toward the innovative behavior and superior performance of the organization by exploring the impact of ChatGPT on the productivity of knowledge workers. Design/methodology/approach Given the context, this research investigates the impact of the moderating variable, work ethic (W), on the relationship between ChatGPT (X) and knowledge workers’ innovative behavior (Y) with the mediating effect of knowledge workers’ productivity (M). To test the hypotheses, the authors collected data from 175 respondents comprising researchers and faculty in Hong Kong universities and assessed via IBM SPSS and CB-SEM using AMOS v.26. Findings The findings of this study demonstrate that ChatGPT, through its knowledge generation capability, enhances knowledge workers’ productivity facilitating them to be innovative in their work. The results of this study further reveal that in the absence of work ethics, ChatGPT does not contribute toward knowledge workers’ productivity and innovative behavior. Originality/value This research is among the earliest studies linking knowledge workers to ChatGPT and investigating the mechanism by which ChatGPT may enhance knowledge workers’ productivity and innovative behavior. This study provides empirical evidence on linking mechanism between ChatGPT usage and innovative behavior emphasizing the importance of ethical practices and knowledge workers in organizational setting.