TY  - EJOU
AU  - Sha, Chengcheng 
AU  - Wang, Lin 
AU  - Pan, Xiaolei 

TI  - Does artificial intelligence (AI) anxiety increase employees’ deviant behavior toward the organization? The role of emotional exhaustion and leadership support
T2  - Journal of Psychology in Africa

PY  - 2025
VL  - 35
IS  - 2
SN  - 1815-5626

AB  - This study investigated the relationship between AI anxiety and deviant behavior, as well as the roles of emotional exhaustion and leader support in this context. The sample comprised 381 Chinese e-commerce employees (72.7% female, age range 21–36 years). The results of the Process model analysis indicate that AI anxiety significantly is associated with higher deviant behaviour. Emotional exhaustion partially mediates this relationship between AI anxiety and employee deviant behavior exacerbating deviant behaviour. Leader support moderates the AI anxiety effect on emotional exhaustion such that when leader support is low. AI anxiety is associated with higher emotional exhaustion among employees. By implication, high levels of leader support can alleviate AI anxiety of employees. Employer organizations should provide appropriate guidance when introducing AI technology to prevent AI anxiety and associated emotional exhaustion and deviant behavior.
KW  - AI anxiety; emotional exhaustion; leader support; deviant behavior

DO  - 10.32604/jpa.2025.065761