The Impact of AI implementation on employees’ attitudes, behaviors, and psychological states

Abstract

In modern business conditions characterized by constant change and a high level of competitiveness, organizations are moving towards the necessity of implementing artificial intelligence (AI), which represents the key factor of transformation in traditional business models in order to improve efficiency and to retain and strengthen their competitive market position. The research subject of this paper is to examine the effects of AI implementation on employees’ attitudes, behaviors, and psychological state. The primary aim of this paper is to identify theoretical frameworks, underpinning empirical studies in this field, as well as variables and relations between them, as key empirical results. For this purpose, a review of theoretical and empirical studies was conducted, examining the effect of AI on employees’ attitudes (job satisfaction, job security, turnover intention and employee engagement), behavior (employee performance) and psychological state (job stress and burnout). Results of completed review of available literature indicate that the implementation of AI in organizations has a significant influence on attitudes, behavior and psychological state of employees, primarily through positive effects on engagement, work-life balance, creativity, innovation, and career development. However, its impact on job stress and burnout is indirect and mediated by work-related factors such as job security, workload, and task design. Consequently, AI may reduce stress when it enhances efficiency and facilitates tasks, but it may also increase stress if it intensifies expectations or job complexity. Overall, the psychological effects of AI depend largely on how it is implemented and managed within the organization. According to these findings, the authors have planned that in the next research phase, they will develop a conceptual framework, which will unite identified variables and their relations, with a focus on the realization of empirical analysis on a certain sample in Serbia, as a way of researching concrete effects of artificial intelligence implementation on the domestic business environment. The limitations of this paper are a relatively small number of existing research studies regarding this topic (especially within the context of Serbia), as well as the lack of empirical research that simultaneously encompasses all relevant variables.