The two faces of Artificial Intelligence (AI): Analyzing how AI usage shapes employee behaviors in the hospitality industry

AI has become a critical technology driving societal advancement and impacting various sectors, including hospitality. Technology has social attributes, and employees play a major role in its application. Exploring the impact of AI usage on employee behaviors is essential. Drawing on the conservation of resources theory and the approach/avoidance systems theory, this study constructs a dual-path model to explore the effect of AI usage on employee behaviors. Data from 280 hotel employees in China were collected at three time points. Results show that AI usage enhance technological self-efficacy of employees, thereby promoting prosocial service behavior. Conversely, it could also induce workplace anxiety of employees, consequently leading to work withdrawal behavior. An approach orientation amplified the impact of AI usage on technological self-efficacy, while an avoidance orientation heightened the impact of AI usage on workplace anxiety. The study discussed the theoretical and practical implications and offers suggestions for future research.