Will intelligent upgrading lead to disorder? The impact of AI technology adoption on employees’ work–family conflict

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a key driver of technological transformation. According to a McKinsey survey, 88% of organizations have already entered the nascent stage of AI technology. However, it is also changing workflows with implications for work–family balance. This study aims to investigate how AI technology adoption influences employees’ work–family conflict by analyzing the impact-response chain. Grounded in conservation of resources theory, we surveyed 346 employees who had adopted AI technology at work. Data were analyzed using Mplus 8.3 and SPSS 27.0 to test the moderated sequential mediation model. AI technology adoption has both positive and negative effects on work–family conflict and is associated with increased conflict. However, job insecurity and leisure crafting mediate this relationship; job insecurity worsens conflict, whereas leisure crafting reduces conflict. Psychological detachment strengthens this effect by positively moderating the relationship. AI’s impact on work–family conflict is not simply positive or negative, but both threat and opportunity, clarifying contradictions in past research and provides new answers for managing AI technology adoption.