Dynamics of user engagement: AI mastery goal and the paradox mindset in AI–employee collaboration

Given the scarcity of previous studies on employee–AI collaboration and its impact on employee behavior and user engagement, we investigated its potential to drive user engagement using a mixed-method approach. Grounded in qualitative findings from 27 participants in a healthcare setting, we propose a robust model that emphasizes the impact of AI–employee collaboration on AI mastery goal, user engagement, and a paradox mindset, as well as the moderating role of AI empathy and technological frames. Using a quantitative method, we collected data from 452 participants in a healthcare setting across two studies. Our findings showed that AI–employee collaboration can drive AI mastery goal and a paradox mindset. We also found empirical evidence that both AI mastery goal and the paradox mindset can mediate the relationship between employee–AI collaboration and user engagement. Moreover, our findings revealed interesting moderating results across two studies. In Study 1, significant effects were found for both employee–AI collaboration and AI mastery goal at low AI empathy, but not at high levels. In Study 2, while the interaction between employee–AI collaboration and AI empathy was not significant, the influence of AI mastery goal became significant at high empathy levels, and the paradox mindset showed a significant effect only at high levels of AI empathy. These findings provide managers with valuable insights into the essential operations dynamic of employee–AI collaboration, underscoring its important role in enhancing user engagement. • Emphasizes the impact of AI-employee collaboration on user engagement through AI mastery goals and a paradox mindset. • Combines qualitative interviews and quantitative surveys to develop and validate the research framework. • AI mastery goals and paradox mindset mediate the relationship between AI-employee collaboration and user engagement. • AI empathy and technological frame enhance the relationships between AI mastery goals, paradox mindset, and user engagement. • Recommends training programs to foster AI mastery goals and paradox mindsets and promoting a supportive technological environment.