How does employee–AI collaboration influence employee job performance? A multilevel analysis of cognitive flexibility and empowerment climate

In an era where AI technologies are increasingly integrated into organizational processes, understanding the dynamics of employee–AI collaboration is crucial for enhancing workplace effectiveness. Grounded in social exchange theory and socio-technical systems theory, this study investigates the impact of employee–AI collaboration on employees’ job performance (i.e., in-role and extra-role performance). Additionally, we examine the mediating roles of cognitive flexibility, and the moderating role of empowerment climate within this relationship. To test the moderated mediation research model, we employed a multilevel design utilizing multi-source, time lagged data from 230 employees and their 58 direct supervisors nested in 58 teams in AI-integrated service firms in Vietnam. The results reveal that cognitive flexibility mediates the relationships between employee–AI collaboration and both in-role and extra-role performance. Furthermore, we found that empowerment climate moderates the link between employee–AI collaboration and cognitive flexibility, as well as the indirect effects of employee–AI collaboration on in-role and extra-role performance via cognitive flexibility. This study advances management literature by positioning cognitive flexibility as a critical psychological resource that facilitates employee performance in AI-augmented work contexts. It also underscores the strategic significance of empowerment climate as a contextual condition that fosters employee–AI collaboration. Together, these findings provide actionable insights for practitioners aiming to build adaptive, high-performing teams capable of navigating the challenges and opportunities of AI integration.