AI Use and Employee Emotions: An Examination of How Artificial Intelligence Shape Workplaces Outcome

Based on the appraisal theory of emotions, this study investigates employees’ emotional reactions to the use of artificial intelligence (AI) at work, and the downstream consequences of these emotions. Using a multi-wave, multi-source survey of 323 sales employees and their supervisors, we found that the three-way interaction among employees’ AI use, negative awareness toward AI (i.e., the extent to which employees feel their job could be replaced by AI), and interpersonal skills shape their emotional experiences and subsequent behaviors. Specifically, when employees have low negative awareness and low interpersonal skills, AI use is positively related to challenge emotions and achievement emotions, and negatively related to their deterrence emotions. These emotions in turn influence their work behaviors, such that challenge emotions promote employees’ creativity, achievement emotions enhance employees’ organizational citizenship behaviors, and deterrence emotions increase withdrawal behavior. Emotions mediate the relationship between AI use and these work behaviors. We discuss the implications of these results for future research and management practice.