Addressing AI-related fears: the impact of technological social responsibility on employees’ attitudes towards AI integration at work

Abstract Considering the need to explore employee responses to ongoing technological changes and drawing on the assumptions of the Conservation of Resources theory, this study examines the indirect impact of technological social responsibility (TSR, an organizational factor) on employees’ attitudes toward AI integration through their resistance to technological change (a personal factor). It also investigates whether perceived media emphasis on AI-related job loss (an environmental factor) moderates the relationship between TSR and resistance to technological change. It uses data collected from employees working in 504 large companies in Poland and applies PLS-SEM analyses. The empirical findings show that TSR reduces resistance to technological change which is a crucial factor in increasing positive attitudes towards AI integration at work. Resistance to technological change mediates between TSR and employees’ AI-related attitudes, however media activities do not play moderating role in the model. This study contributes to the limited empirical understanding of TSR by demonstrating its indirect effect on employee behavior during digital transformation. The findings offer practical implications for organizations aiming to facilitate AI integration at work by strengthening TSR-based strategies to reduce employee resistance.