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Too human to trust? How warmth, competence, and anxiety shape employee avoidance of generative AI
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DOI：10.1007/s00146-026-03272-7.png)
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Abstract
En 中文
As generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) becomes increasingly embedded in organizational innovation and digital transformation strategies, understanding its implications for workforce adaptation has emerged as a critical managerial and strategic issue. This study examines how employees’ perceptions of GenAI, specifically perceived competence and perceived warmth, together with information overload, relate to AI anxiety and subsequent avoidance behavior in the workplace. Drawing on technostress theory and the approach–avoidance framework, this study conceptualizes GenAI as a workplace stressor that triggers emotional and behavioral coping responses. Based on survey data collected from employees across multiple industries, the results reveal a differentiated pattern. Perceived competence was linked to lower levels of AI anxiety and lower avoidance tendencies, whereas perceived warmth and information overload were related to higher levels of AI anxiety. Employees reporting higher AI anxiety also exhibited stronger avoidance tendencies. Mediation analyses further support the role of AI anxiety in explaining the relationship between employee perceptions and avoidance behavior. Moreover, individual resilience moderates the relationship between perceived warmth and avoidance behavior, suggesting that employees with higher resilience may be better equipped to cope with the discomfort associated with stronger perceptions of AI warmth. By highlighting the emotional and stress-related mechanisms underlying employee avoidance of GenAI, this study extends existing research on organizational GenAI use beyond cognitive adoption models. The findings provide insights for managers and policymakers seeking to enhance organizational readiness, mitigate implementation risks, and strengthen innovation capability in the context of AI-driven transformation.
Keywords:
GenAI
AI anxiety
Avoidance behavior
Perceived warmth
Perceived competence
Information overload
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