In the past decade, there has been a significant surge in interest surrounding artificial intelligence (AI). This surge has not only brought about heightened excitement over AI’s capabilities, but also raised concerns about job security. While many workers are apprehensive about AI’s potential impact on their career sustainability, the prevailing trend is towards a collaborative model between humans and AI. This article (Kong et al., (2023), delves into the intricacies of how trust in AI intersects with career sustainability and productivity.
EMPLOYEE-AI COLLABORATION
The research findings demonstrate that when people have increased trust in AI, there is also an increase in employee-AI collaboration. Further, the study revealed that this collaboration positively influenced career sustainability by enhancing factors such as career satisfaction, task performance, and creative output. Notably, the research also shows that the link between AI trust and employee-AI collaboration was more pronounced among people with a stronger inclination toward self-management and directing their own career paths.
TAKEAWAYS FOR ORGANIZATIONS
The findings suggest that building trust in AI promotes employee-AI collaboration. This is key, as this collaboration was shown to enhance career sustainability. As such, the authors recommended that organizations do the following:
- Establish training programs for employees to enhance their understanding and proficiency in AI technology. This will improve the quality of interactions between employees and AI, ultimately fostering greater acceptance and collaboration.
- Favor self-directed employees when setting up human-AI collaboration efforts. Self-directed people are more inclined to trust AI and collaborate effectively, potentially serving as role models for peers.
Kong, H., Yin, Z., Baruch, Y., & Yuan, Y. (2023). The impact of trust in AI on career sustainability: The role of employee–AI collaboration and protean career orientation. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 146, 1–18.
Image credit: istockphoto/Arne Weitkaemper