Unlocking creative potential through employee–AI collaboration: a self-regulatory focus on job crafting and leaders’ creativity expectations

Abstract

Purpose While employees are not being replaced by artificial intelligence (AI), they face increasing pressure to adapt and acquire new AI-related skills regardless of their attitudes towards AI collaboration. Drawing on self-regulation theory, regulatory focus theory and regulatory fit theory, this study examines how and when employee–AI collaboration (EAI-C) in the high-tech service industry influences employees’ job crafting and subsequent creative work involvement. Additionally, it explores whether leaders’ creativity expectations moderate the relationship between job crafting and creative work involvement. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected through a multi-source, three-wave survey involving 295 employee–supervisor pairs in the Chinese technology service industry, all of whom interacted with AI on a daily basis. This study focused on the impact of EAI-C on promotion- and prevention-focused job crafting and the role of leaders’ creativity expectations in shaping creative work involvement. Findings The findings reveal a positive correlation between EAI-C and promotion-focused job crafting, which in turn enhances creative work involvement. Moreover, the positive effect of promotion-focused job crafting on creative work involvement is significantly amplified by leaders’ creativity expectations. Originality/value This study advances the understanding of EAI-C by explaining the mechanisms through which EAI-C influences creative work involvement. It also highlights the moderating role of leaders’ creativity expectations and offers valuable implications for both theory and practice in EAI-C and creative work systems.

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