The double-edged sword effect of digital leadership on employee-AI collaboration: A study based on nurses

BackgroundThe rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare necessitates a deeper understanding of how digital leadership (DL) shapes employee-AI collaboration, yet its underlying psychological mechanisms remain underexplored.ObjectiveThis study investigates the dual psychological pathways-through thriving at work (TAW) and job insecurity (JI)-by which DL influences employee-AI collaboration, and examines how AI awareness moderates these indirect effects.MethodsSurvey data from 350 nurses across Chinese healthcare institutions were analyzed using a three-wave longitudinal design.ResultsDL exhibited a dual-pathway effect on employee-AI collaboration: it fostered collaboration by enhancing TAW, but concurrently inhibited it by exacerbating JI. Moreover, AI-augmented awareness strengthened the positive indirect effect via TAW, whereas AI-depleted awareness intensified the negative indirect effect via JI.ConclusionsDL's dual impact necessitates balanced strategies that leverage its motivational benefits while mitigating JI. These insights offer healthcare leaders actionable pathways to optimize human-AI collaboration.