Organizations currently need to adapt Artificial Intelligence (AI) at an immense pace. AI presents a promising innovation as it helps analyzing vast datasets, streamline repetitive tasks, and enhance problem-solving. However, while AI is transforming labor, the importance of humans persists as, ultimately, humans need to adapt and use AI for work. Combining two vignette experiments with qualitative interviews, we examine the impact of varying AI roles in the human-AI work relationship, i.e., introducing AI as superior, teammate, or subordinate, on the intention to use AI. Taking a work design perspective on AI usage, we further examine two job characteristics, autonomy and role ambiguity, as theoretical mechanisms explaining why humans use AI. Additionally, we investigate the moderating effect of workload on this relationship. We focus the empirical examination on planners in supply chain management, where AI is rapidly adopted to optimize practices, requiring planners to adjust towards AI collaboration. The preliminary results show that the AI role indeed has an impact, as introducing AI as a superior lowers the planners’ perceived autonomy while increasing role ambiguity, which, in turn, lowers their intention to use AI. Workload influences this relationship; participants report higher intention to use AI as teammate and subordinate when workload is high. This research advances work design theory by introducing human-AI-specific dynamics and highlighting the pivotal roles of autonomy and role ambiguity in ensuring successful AI integration and usage. Additionally, the results contribute to practice by providing actionable recommendations for organizations to integrate AI, increase usage and minimize resistance.
