Adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) based employee experience (EEX) chatbots

Abstract

Purpose

AI-based chatbots are revamping employee communication in organizations. This paper examines the adoption of AI-based employee experience chatbots by employees.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed model is developed using behavioral reasoning theory and empirically validated by surveying 1,130 employees and data was analyzed with PLS-SEM.

Findings

This research presents the “reasons for” and “reasons against” for the acceptance of AI-based employee experience chatbots. The “reasons for” are – personalization, interactivity, perceived intelligence and perceived anthropomorphism and the “reasons against” are perceived risk, language barrier and technological anxiety. It is found that “reasons for” have a positive association with attitude and adoption intention and “reasons against” have a negative association. Employees' values for openness to change are positively associated with “reasons for” and do not affect attitude and “reasons against”.

Originality/value

This is the first study exploring employees' attitude and adoption intention toward AI-based EEX chatbots using behavioral reasoning theory.

Citation

Pillai, R., Ghanghorkar, Y., Sivathanu, B., Algharabat, R. and Rana, N.P. (2024), "Adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) based employee experience (EEX) chatbots", Information Technology & People, Vol. 37 No. 1, pp. 449-478. https://doi.org/10.1108/ITP-04-2022-0287