How Unified Factors Impact AI Usage Intention in the Workplace: A Study from Employee Perspective

Asima Asif; Muneeb Hussain; You Jun

doi:10.54097/8r49yr79

Authors

Asima Asif
Muneeb Hussain
You Jun

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54097/8r49yr79

Keywords:

AI Usage Intention, Unified Factors, AI in Workplace, Employee’s AI Use, UTAUT Theory

Abstract

The rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) presents significant opportunities for enhancing workplace productivity and efficiency. As AI technologies continue to evolve, understanding the factors that influence employees' intention to adopt AI becomes increasingly crucial. This study investigates the psychological mechanisms underlying AI usage intention among employees, with a specific focus on three key predictors: Innovation Preference (IP), Social Influence (SI), and Performance Expectancy (PE). Additionally, Attitude toward AI is examined as a mediating variable, while Anxiety and Firm Reputation are explored as moderators that may affect these relationships. To examine these relationships, the study employed a structured, valid, and reliable questionnaire to gather data from employees in Pakistan. A total of 610 valid responses were collected and analyzed using hierarchical regression and moderation-mediation analysis. The results demonstrate that IP, SI, and PE significantly predict Attitude toward AI, which in turn has a strong impact on the Intention to use AI. The mediating role of Attitude was confirmed across all three predictors (IP, SI, and PE), indicating that a favorable attitude is a key psychological pathway through which these factors influence AI adoption intentions. The study's findings highlight the importance of fostering positive employee attitudes toward AI to promote its adoption in organizational settings. Furthermore, the moderation analysis reveals that Anxiety significantly moderates the relationship between Social Influence and Attitude, while Firm Reputation moderates the link between Attitude and Intention to use AI. These results emphasize the need for organizations to consider both psychological and contextual factors—such as emotional responses and perceived organizational credibility—when implementing AI technologies. Overall, the study contributes valuable insights into the social and psychological dynamics that shape technology adoption decisions in the workplace.

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