Artificial Intelligence Anxiety and Employee Engagement in the Indian Real Estate Sector

Survey Integration Note The survey provides organization-specific evidence from the participating real-estate organization employees concerning health and well-being, workplace safety, manager and team support, psychological safety, belonging, fairness, meaningful work, learning, work-life balance, wellness support, communication and employer recommendation. Preliminary Survey Snapshot (n = 59) Positive (Agree + Indicator Valid n Mean / 5 Strongly Agree) I think this is a safe 59 4.31 91.5% place to work. I receive good support from my 59 4.07 83.1% team members/colleagues. My immediate manager/supervisor 59 4.10 79.7% supports me when I need help. I feel a sense of belonging at the organization 59 3.97 79.7% Realty. I am able to balance my work and 59 3.47 55.9% personal/family commitments. The health and wellness support the 59 3.64 62.7% organisation provides meets my needs. There is open and honest two-way 59 3.61 66.1% communication. I receive regular communication from 59 3.54 61.0% my manager about management updates. Abstract Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly transforming organizational processes, occupational roles, skill requirements and employee expectations. Although AI has the potential to improve productivity and create new employment opportunities, its increasing use may also generate employee concerns regarding job replacement, skill obsolescence, career continuity and employment security. These concerns are particularly relevant in knowledge-intensive and technology-enabled sectors such as real estate, where artificial intelligence, data analytics, automation, digital platforms and intelligent decision-support systems are increasingly influencing organizational activities. The present study develops and proposes an empirical model examining the relationship between Artificial Intelligence Anxiety (AIA) and Employee Engagement (EE) among employees in the Indian real estate sector. Specifically, the study investigates Perceived Job Insecurity (PJI) as a mediating mechanism and Perceived Organizational Support (POS) as a moderating resource. The theoretical foundation integrates Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) theory, Conservation of Resources (COR) theory and Organizational Support Theory. The proposed model suggests that AI anxiety increases perceived job insecurity, which subsequently reduces employee engagement. Perceived organizational support is expected to weaken the positive relationship between AI anxiety and perceived job insecurity and consequently buffer the negative indirect effect of AI anxiety on employee engagement. Data will be collected using established measurement instruments for AI anxiety, job insecurity, perceived organizational support and employee engagement. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), preferably using SmartPLS, will be employed to assess the measurement and structural models, including mediation, moderation and moderated mediation. The proposed study contributes to the emerging literature on the human consequences of AI by moving beyond technology adoption and productivity perspectives and examining the psychological pathway through which AI- related concerns influence employee engagement.