A new study reveals that workers who fear artificial intelligence will threaten their jobs are more prone to counterproductive behaviors and moral disengagement.

Workers who worry that artificial intelligence may threaten their occupations are more likely to engage in counterproductive workplace behaviors, such as slacking off or taking a coworker's lunch, according to a new study. Led by Washington State University researchers and published in the journal Occupational Health Science, the study evaluated the effects of looming AI adoption across 18 industries.

Impact of Occupation Insecurity

The research examined how occupation insecurity and industry-level AI exposure affect moral disengagement and counterproductive workplace behaviors. Workers concerned about the future of their entire occupation were more likely to morally disengage, a process where individuals justify behaviors they would normally consider inappropriate. In turn, these employees self-reported behaviors such as coming in late for a shift or surfing the web. Lead author Tahira M. Probst noted that unlike traditional job loss where an employee can find work in the same profession elsewhere, AI threatens the obsolescence of entire occupations, such as medical transcriptionists.

Industry Exposure Levels

Researchers utilized the AI Industry Exposure index to identify industries facing potential disruption from AI, surveying workers across 18 industries. Workers in finance and insurance experienced some of the highest levels of AI exposure, while those in agriculture and forestry had the least. The negative effects of AI-related concerns were magnified in heavily exposed industries like finance and insurance, while being less pronounced in fields expected to face fewer future AI changes, such as forestry and construction.