Exploring the Antecedents and Outcomes of the Perceived Ethicality of Artificial Intelligence in the Workplace

Abstract

As the implementation of AI within organizations increases, concerns have emergedabout the ethicality of AI-driven systems and tools and the ways people use them. Although previous literature has proposed numerous theories regarding how to develop and use AI ethically, the question remains of how individuals perceive the ethicality of AI and the effects this has on their engagement with AI tools. The study aims to explore whether and how certain perceptions of AI tool attributes, including explainability of AI (xAI) and moral intensity dimensions (i.e., magnitude of consequences and proximity), influence perceptions of AI ethicality. Additionally, the present study investigates the outcomes of perceptions of the ethicality of AI on the likelihood to recommend AI tools and functionality trust in AI. Analyses of covariance and mediation analysis evaluated the proposed model alongside qualitative supplemental analyses. Perceived ethicality of the AI tool significantly mediated the relationship between xAI and likelihood to recommend the AI tool, whereas functionality trust in the AI tool significantly mediated the relationship between proximity and the likelihood to recommend the AI tool. The results produce implications relevant to how individuals perceive AI within organizations and behavioral intentions for using AI tools.