Understanding Human and AI Complementarity: Perspective of FGCS Employees

Leveraging human and artificial intelligence (AI) benefits work performance but our knowledge about effective human-AI collaboration remains limited. The study examines the employment experiences of first-generation college students (FGCSs) and their perceptions of human-AI labor division at their workplace. Data were collected from a survey of FGCS employees who attended a public, four-year university in the United States in 2025. Guided by the sociotechnical systems theory and task-technology fit with AI literature, we conducted a thematic analysis on the narrative data of the employees. The qualitative analysis revealed four major themes including AI augmentation, AI automation, human capabilities, and the negative view of “AI Is Not Needed.” The findings suggest that FGCS employees face several challenges, including the lack of knowledge about AI capabilities and ignorance of AI integration at work. The study contributes to the AI and work literature and offers practical implications and suggestions for future research.