Events

Ms. Ying WU
Ph.D. Candidate
Department of Managerial Studies
University of Illinois Chicago

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is swiftly reconfiguring workplaces and redefining long-standing employee responsibilities, thereby establishing AI as a major influence in management. Existing research has primarily focused on human-AI collaboration, emphasizing AI’s supportive function in areas like problem resolution, decision-making, and fostering new ideas. Nevertheless, as AI’s abilities continue to advance quickly, its function is progressing past that of a simple aide, prompting inquiries into whether AI could also operate as a capable leader. Given the profound practical and theoretical importance of this subject, investigating the ramifications of AI-led management becomes crucial. Utilizing a field study and a pair of experimental studies in this proposed research, I will examine the impact of AI-driven directive leadership on various individual factors, including attitudes (like self-efficacy and cognitive strain) and behaviors (such as work performance and subjective well-being). Drawing upon the job demands-resources (JD-R) model and existing research on human-AI collaboration, I will explore to examine boundary conditions, such as AI aversion, that may either amplify or diminish the effects of instructional communication from an AI. The proposed research aims to advance the ongoing discourse on AI in management by examining individual reactions to AI in leadership roles. In doing so, it broadens existing leadership frameworks to incorporate non-human agents into leadership positions and offers practical insights for companies considering AI for supervisory functions.