Impact of frontline employees’ perceived benefits of artificial intelligence on AI adoption and job engagement: A meta-analysis

This study explores how frontline employees’ perceived benefits of artificial intelligence (AI) influence two behavioural outcomes: AI adoption and job engagement. Using the Social Shaping of Technology (SST) framework, which highlights the role of social, organizational, and contextual factors over technical features, the meta-analysis synthesises 71 studies involving 23,051 employees across 37 countries. Perceived AI benefits (e.g., increased efficiency, reduced monotony, decision-making support) positively relate to both adoption and engagement, though risks like job displacement anxiety can weaken these effects. To identify when and for whom these benefits matter most, the study analyses 13 moderators (user-level: gender, education, age, tenure, role, position; organizational-level: industry, control, AI task and knowledge; macrolevel:year, country). Industry type, control over AI, and work level/position were most significant. The findings underscore the need for tailored AI strategies aligned with workforce characteristics and socio-technical contexts, advancing employee-centred AI research on contextual variation and moderating effects.