Human– <scp>AI</scp> Collaboration Signaling and Knowledge Worker Motivation: The Moderating Role of Task Complexity

ABSTRACT This study aims to investigate the effects of human‐AI collaboration signalling (HACS) in the organisational communication in the motivation of knowledge workers (KWM). In particular, the research question is whether the perceived augmentation benefits (PAB) and technological self‐efficacy (TSE) mediate this relationship and whether the relationship strengths differ according to the task complexity (TC) (routine vs. complex tasks). The research uses the signalling theory (ST) and social cognitive theory (SCT) to form the research model. An experimental design based on controlled scenarios was used, where the participants rated the communication within an organization when describing the work environments that are aided by AI. The participants were asked to rate the impact of AI collaboration signals on their perceptions and motivation to be employed by AI systems. The findings suggest that the HACS is positively related to KWM indirectly through PAB and TSE. In addition, the results indicate that the moderator of these relationships is TC. The indirect effects are substantially more pronounced in the complex, cognitively demanding tasks, in which AI is viewed as a power tool that promotes productivity and ability to solve problems. Conversely, the impacts are less in daily work, in which AI could be seen as a potential competitor, not a work partner.