Exploring the dual effect of trust in GAI on employees’ exploitative and exploratory innovation

Abstract The deployment of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) has attracted substantial research attention, yet its impact on employee innovation remains debated. Based on Technology-Task Fit (TTF) theory, this study investigates how trust in GAI affects employees’ exploitative and exploratory...

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Main Authors: Xiaoyue Lin, Tiandong Wang, Fan Sheng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer Nature 2025-05-01
Series:Humanities & Social Sciences Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-04956-z
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author Xiaoyue Lin
Tiandong Wang
Fan Sheng
author_facet Xiaoyue Lin
Tiandong Wang
Fan Sheng
author_sort Xiaoyue Lin
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The deployment of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) has attracted substantial research attention, yet its impact on employee innovation remains debated. Based on Technology-Task Fit (TTF) theory, this study investigates how trust in GAI affects employees’ exploitative and exploratory innovation. Analysis of survey data from 302 Chinese employees reveals that trust in GAI is positively related to exploitative innovation, while demonstrating an inverted U-shaped relationship with both exploratory innovation and the complementarity of these two innovation types. Furthermore, employee-GAI fit amplifies the positive effect of trust in GAI on exploitative innovation and moderates the inverted U-shaped relationship with exploratory innovation by shifting the turning point to the right. Employee-innovation task fit weakens the inverted U-shaped relationship between trust in GAI and exploratory innovation. These findings advance original theoretical insights into the relationship between trust in GAI and ambidextrous innovation and offer actionable guidance for innovation management practitioners.
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spelling doaj-art-a8449ba1b20f4de1ae8281c9cca4e85f2025-08-20T02:32:00ZengSpringer NatureHumanities & Social Sciences Communications2662-99922025-05-0112111410.1057/s41599-025-04956-zExploring the dual effect of trust in GAI on employees’ exploitative and exploratory innovationXiaoyue Lin0Tiandong Wang1Fan Sheng2Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Harbin Institute of TechnologySchool of Economics and Management, Harbin Engineering UniversitySchool of Economics and Management, Harbin Engineering UniversityAbstract The deployment of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) has attracted substantial research attention, yet its impact on employee innovation remains debated. Based on Technology-Task Fit (TTF) theory, this study investigates how trust in GAI affects employees’ exploitative and exploratory innovation. Analysis of survey data from 302 Chinese employees reveals that trust in GAI is positively related to exploitative innovation, while demonstrating an inverted U-shaped relationship with both exploratory innovation and the complementarity of these two innovation types. Furthermore, employee-GAI fit amplifies the positive effect of trust in GAI on exploitative innovation and moderates the inverted U-shaped relationship with exploratory innovation by shifting the turning point to the right. Employee-innovation task fit weakens the inverted U-shaped relationship between trust in GAI and exploratory innovation. These findings advance original theoretical insights into the relationship between trust in GAI and ambidextrous innovation and offer actionable guidance for innovation management practitioners.https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-04956-z
spellingShingle Xiaoyue Lin
Tiandong Wang
Fan Sheng
Exploring the dual effect of trust in GAI on employees’ exploitative and exploratory innovation
Humanities & Social Sciences Communications
title Exploring the dual effect of trust in GAI on employees’ exploitative and exploratory innovation
title_full Exploring the dual effect of trust in GAI on employees’ exploitative and exploratory innovation
title_fullStr Exploring the dual effect of trust in GAI on employees’ exploitative and exploratory innovation
title_full_unstemmed Exploring the dual effect of trust in GAI on employees’ exploitative and exploratory innovation
title_short Exploring the dual effect of trust in GAI on employees’ exploitative and exploratory innovation
title_sort exploring the dual effect of trust in gai on employees exploitative and exploratory innovation
url https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-04956-z
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AT tiandongwang exploringthedualeffectoftrustingaionemployeesexploitativeandexploratoryinnovation
AT fansheng exploringthedualeffectoftrustingaionemployeesexploitativeandexploratoryinnovation