Human–GenAI-based agent collaboration: How employee perceptions shape knowledge sharing, thriving, and well-being

The growing pace of the introduction of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) into organizational processes is changing the way workers cooperate with technology. Based on Social Exchange Theory, we propose that the perception of employees regarding the value of GenAI-based agents, their vulnerability and privacy, and their self-concern would determine the collaboration with GenAI agents, which subsequently would predict the knowledge sharing, job thriving, and well-being. The findings show that perceived GenAI-based value has a strong positive impact on human-GenAI-based agent collaboration, but data vulnerability and privacy concerns have no significance. Interestingly, self-concern has a positive effect, which implies that identity-based fears can be used to drive active use of GenAI-based agents. Knowledge sharing, job thriving, and well-being are highly predicted by human-GenAI-based agent collaboration, and organizational exploratory innovation moderates these correlations. These results extrapolate the Social Exchange Theory to human-AI situations, dispel the assumptions of the consistently negative impact of risk perception, and emphasize the relevance of organizational climate to the implementation of the advantages of AI cooperation. The paper provides both theoretical and practical understanding of the way in which employees interact with GenAI-based agents to ensure that organizational learning and psychological outcomes of employees are achieved.