The Future of Tourism in NEOM: AI-Powered Robot Assistants and Their Impact on Service Workers from the Resource-Based View

This study examines the impact of AI-powered robot assistants on service workers' quality of life in the context of NEOM, designed to be a hub for technology and innovation in Saudi Arabia. While prior research has focused on consumer perceptions and limited geographical regions, this study fills a crucial gap by assessing the influence of AI on employees' quality of life in a limited-researched region. Using a 2 (robot: human-like vs. non-human-like) x 2 (productivity: high vs. low) experimental design, this quantitative study analyzes data from a survey to understand how robot assistants affect value perception, trust, workload reduction, quality of work life, and overall quality of life. One-way ANOVA was used to examine the effect of the stimuli, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to test the proposed model. The findings indicate that AI robot assistants positively influence service workers' quality of life by reducing physical and mental workloads reduction, which in turn enhances their quality of work life. While participants expressed a preference for human-like robots, the data consistently showed that high-productivity robots lead to more beneficial relationships with workers, regardless of their form. This aligns with the Computers Are Social Actors (CASA) and Resource-Based View (RBV) theories, confirming that AI can function as a social entity and provide a competitive advantage. The study also found that prior experience with AI systems influences user expectations, leading to a conflict between stated preferences and actual positive experiences. The research contributes to the understanding of anthropomorphism as a multidimensional construct and provides a conceptual model for future research on AI's influence on workers' quality of life. The study recommends that businesses prioritize a robot's functionality and coordinate between tangible and intangible values.