How and When Artificial Intelligence Awareness Fosters Proactive Career Behaviors: The Role of Workplace Impostor Thoughts and Future Work Self Salience

Drawing on self-discrepancy theory, this study examined how and when artificial intelligence (AI) awareness promotes proactive career behaviors. We collected three-wave, time-lagged data from 329 full-time employees in the United Kingdom. Results showed that AI awareness was positively related to proactive career behaviors. The indirect effect of AI awareness on proactive career behaviors through workplace impostor thoughts was significant when future work self salience was high but not when it was low. Future work self salience also strengthened both the relationship between AI awareness and workplace impostor thoughts and the direct relationship between AI awareness and proactive career behaviors. These findings demonstrate that technology-induced identity threats can motivate proactive career efforts and clarify how and when AI awareness translates into proactive career behaviors. Implications for career counseling and organizational practice are discussed.