AI is being talked across industries, however, not all managers involved in these discussions possess a precise understanding of AI. Drawing on cognitive appraisal theory, we examined the relationship between managers’ AI knowledge and their behavior of discussing AI. We found that the more accurately managers understand AI, the more likely they are to view AI as an opportunity, and thus engage in talking AI. While a more accurate understanding of AI makes managers less likely to perceive AI as a threat, we found no significant correlation between viewing AI as a threat and AI talk. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.
