Abstract
Within the rapidly evolving digital workplace landscape, the collaboration between artificial intelligence (AI) and employees is a subject of increasing research focus for its impact on both business and employee outcomes. Despite this, research on the implications for employees remains limited. To address this gap, we develop a theoretical model grounded in cognitive appraisal theory, investigating the implications of AI-employee collaborations for employee thriving at work and the associated boundary conditions. Analysing data from 214 UK-based employees, we find a positive association between AI-employee collaboration and employee thriving, mediated by employee challenge appraisal. Further, employee connectivity is found to moderate the relationship between challenge appraisal and thriving, strengthening it in higher connectivity scenarios. This study offers a novel perspective on the role of cognitive mechanisms and workplace interactions, contributing theoretical insights. For HRM practitioners, the findings provide guidance on tailoring strategies to effectively integrate AI into the workplace.