IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/aes/amfeco/v26y2024i67p762.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

AI between Threat and Benefactor for the Competences of the Human Working Force

Author

Listed:
  • Olimpia Ban

    (University of Oradea, Oradea, Romania)

  • Irina Maiorescu

    (Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Romania)

  • Mihaela Bucur

    (Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Romania)

  • Gabriel Cristian Sabou

    (Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Romania)

  • Betty Cohen Tzedec

    (Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Romania)

Abstract

The fast pace of the inclusion of AI in almost all sectors of human activity, with more and more accurate and effective results, transforms society at all levels. Changes have already been noticed in the structure of jobs offers for human tasks, since AI provides skills that can successfully replace human competencies in certain areas of activity. Hence, our paper aimed to investigate whether AI is perceived as a threat or a benefactor for the competencies of the human workforce. The analysis of the relevant scientific literature was followed by a quantitative investigation on 512 adult persons of all ages, sex, and having various work experiences. Research results indicate that job losses, dehumanisation of the work, as well as lower intellectual capacity and skills for humans that are no longer used to solve problems and work tasks on their own, are the main threats brought by AI. At the same time, there are perceived AI benefits, such as rapidity in solving some work tasks and reducing the physical and mental strain of employees. In general, it can be said that younger generations, who also have less work experience, are more open to using the AI competencies to solve their work tasks.

Suggested Citation

  • Olimpia Ban & Irina Maiorescu & Mihaela Bucur & Gabriel Cristian Sabou & Betty Cohen Tzedec, 2024. "AI between Threat and Benefactor for the Competences of the Human Working Force," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 26(67), pages 762-762, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:aes:amfeco:v:26:y:2024:i:67:p:762
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.amfiteatrueconomic.ro/temp/Article_3335.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Huang, Yingying & Gursoy, Dogan, 2024. "How does AI technology integration affect employees’ proactive service behaviors? A transactional theory of stress perspective," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    2. Sowa, Konrad & Przegalinska, Aleksandra & Ciechanowski, Leon, 2021. "Cobots in knowledge work," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 135-142.
    3. Yang, Chih-Hai, 2022. "How Artificial Intelligence Technology Affects Productivity and Employment: Firm-level Evidence from Taiwan," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(6).
    4. Mónica Segovia-Perez & Brana Jianu & Iis Tussyadiah, 2023. "Assessing Turnover Intentions of Algorithmically Managed Hospitality Workers," Springer Proceedings in Business and Economics, in: Berta Ferrer-Rosell & David Massimo & Katerina Berezina (ed.), Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism 2023, pages 349-354, Springer.
    5. Milad Mirbabaie & Felix Brünker & Nicholas R. J. Möllmann Frick & Stefan Stieglitz, 2022. "The rise of artificial intelligence – understanding the AI identity threat at the workplace," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 32(1), pages 73-99, March.
    6. Brougham, David & Haar, Jarrod, 2018. "Smart Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and Algorithms (STARA): Employees’ perceptions of our future workplace," Journal of Management & Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 24(2), pages 239-257, March.
    7. Lukas Lanz & Roman Briker & Fabiola H. Gerpott, 2024. "Employees Adhere More to Unethical Instructions from Human Than AI Supervisors: Complementing Experimental Evidence with Machine Learning," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 189(3), pages 625-646, January.
    8. Dewie Tri Wijayati & Zainur Rahman & A’rasy Fahrullah & Muhammad Fajar Wahyudi Rahman & Ika Diyah Candra Arifah & Achmad Kautsar, 2022. "A study of artificial intelligence on employee performance and work engagement: the moderating role of change leadership," International Journal of Manpower, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 43(2), pages 486-512, January.
    9. Chiu, Yi-Te & Zhu, Yu-Qian & Corbett, Jacqueline, 2021. "In the hearts and minds of employees: A model of pre-adoptive appraisal toward artificial intelligence in organizations," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    10. Stephanie Kelley, 2022. "Employee Perceptions of the Effective Adoption of AI Principles," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 178(4), pages 871-893, July.
    11. Siliang Tong & Nan Jia & Xueming Luo & Zheng Fang, 2021. "The Janus face of artificial intelligence feedback: Deployment versus disclosure effects on employee performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(9), pages 1600-1631, September.
    12. Dorotic, Matilda & Stagno, Emanuela & Warlop, Luk, 2024. "AI on the street: Context-dependent responses to artificial intelligence," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 41(1), pages 113-137.
    13. Zirar, Araz & Ali, Syed Imran & Islam, Nazrul, 2023. "Worker and workplace Artificial Intelligence (AI) coexistence: Emerging themes and research agenda," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    14. Sarah Bankins & Paul Formosa, 2023. "The Ethical Implications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) For Meaningful Work," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 185(4), pages 725-740, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Prentice, Catherine & Wong, IpKin Anthony & Lin, Zhiwei (CJ), 2023. "Artificial intelligence as a boundary-crossing object for employee engagement and performance," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    2. Constanta-Nicoleta Bodea & Mario Paparic & Radu Ioan Mogos & Maria-Iuliana Dascalu, 2024. "Artificial Intelligence Adoption in the Workplace and Its Impact on the Upskilling and Reskilling Strategies," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 26(65), pages 126-126, February.
    3. Jing Wang & Zeyu Xing & Rui Zhang, 2023. "AI technology application and employee responsibility," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-17, December.
    4. Zhou, Shuai & Yi, Ni & Rasiah, Rajah & Zhao, Haipeng & Mo, Zile, 2024. "An empirical study on the dark side of service employees’ AI awareness: Behavioral responses, emotional mechanisms, and mitigating factors," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    5. Peter Mantello & Manh-Tung Ho & Minh-Hoang Nguyen & Quan-Hoang Vuong, 2023. "Machines that feel: behavioral determinants of attitude towards affect recognition technology—upgrading technology acceptance theory with the mindsponge model," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-16, December.
    6. Czarnitzki, Dirk & Fernández, Gastón P. & Rammer, Christian, 2023. "Artificial intelligence and firm-level productivity," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 211(C), pages 188-205.
    7. Deepa, R. & Sekar, Srinivasan & Malik, Ashish & Kumar, Jitender & Attri, Rekha, 2024. "Impact of AI-focussed technologies on social and technical competencies for HR managers – A systematic review and research agenda," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 202(C).
    8. Santana, Monica & Cobo, Manuel J., 2020. "What is the future of work? A science mapping analysis," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 38(6), pages 846-862.
    9. Chen, Pengyu & Chu, Zhongzhu & Zhao, Miao, 2024. "The Road to corporate sustainability: The importance of artificial intelligence," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    10. Saima Javed & Yu Rong & Babar Nawaz Abbasi, 2024. "Convergence analysis of artificial intelligence research capacity: Are the less developed catching up with the developed ones?," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 36(4), pages 2172-2192, May.
    11. Guanglu Xu & Ming Xue & Jidi Zhao, 2023. "The Association between Artificial Intelligence Awareness and Employee Depression: The Mediating Role of Emotional Exhaustion and the Moderating Role of Perceived Organizational Support," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(6), pages 1-16, March.
    12. Maude Lavanchy & Patrick Reichert & Jayanth Narayanan & Krishna Savani, 2023. "Applicants’ Fairness Perceptions of Algorithm-Driven Hiring Procedures," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 188(1), pages 125-150, November.
    13. Anya Johnson & Shanta Dey & Helena Nguyen & Markus Groth & Sadhbh Joyce & Leona Tan & Nicholas Glozier & Samuel B Harvey, 2020. "A review and agenda for examining how technology-driven changes at work will impact workplace mental health and employee well-being," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 45(3), pages 402-424, August.
    14. Michael Haenlein & Ming-Hui Huang & Andreas Kaplan, 2022. "Guest Editorial: Business Ethics in the Era of Artificial Intelligence," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 178(4), pages 867-869, July.
    15. Milan Miric & Nan Jia & Kenneth G. Huang, 2023. "Using supervised machine learning for large‐scale classification in management research: The case for identifying artificial intelligence patents," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(2), pages 491-519, February.
    16. Sudatta Kar & Arpan Kumar Kar & Manmohan Prasad Gupta, 2021. "Modeling Drivers and Barriers of Artificial Intelligence Adoption: Insights from a Strategic Management Perspective," Intelligent Systems in Accounting, Finance and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(4), pages 217-238, October.
    17. Bilal, Muhammad & Zhang, Yunfeng & Cai, Shukai & Akram, Umair & Halibas, Alrence, 2024. "Artificial intelligence is the magic wand making customer-centric a reality! An investigation into the relationship between consumer purchase intention and consumer engagement through affective attach," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    18. Nadeem, Kashif & Wong, Sut I. & Za, Stefano & Venditti, Michelina, 2024. "Digital transformation and industry 4.0 employees: Empirical evidence from top digital nations," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    19. Huang, Yingying & Gursoy, Dogan, 2024. "How does AI technology integration affect employees’ proactive service behaviors? A transactional theory of stress perspective," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    20. Wioleta Kucharska, 2020. "The Power Of Mistakes: Constant Learning Culture And Technology," GUT FME Working Paper Series A 61, Faculty of Management and Economics, Gdansk University of Technology.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    AI threats; AI benefits; competencies; human workforce; workplace.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F10 - International Economics - - Trade - - - General
    • J62 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Job, Occupational and Intergenerational Mobility; Promotion
    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D
    • O52 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Europe

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:aes:amfeco:v:26:y:2024:i:67:p:762. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Valentin Dumitru (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/aseeero.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.