How Does the Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence Affect Employees’ Cognitive and Non-Cognitive Abilities? A Study Based on Social Learning Theory

Abstract

Enterprises are vigorously promoting the deep integration of generative artificial intelligence into knowledge work scenarios, placing employees under realistic pressure regarding job adjustments. This pressure stems from AI beginning to intervene in employees’ cognitive processes, which may serve as a lever for capability enhancement or may induce job substitution. Against this backdrop, whether generative AI helps employees improve their abilities or encourages them to outsource their thinking processes has become a core issue that urgently needs to be addressed. Based on social learning theory, this study treats AI as a virtual modeler and empirically examines the impact of AI usage intensity on employees’ cognitive and non-cognitive abilities through an analysis of 677 questionnaire responses. The results show that AI usage intensity has a significant positive effect on employees’ cognitive abilities, specifically across five dimensions: knowledge comprehension, text processing, information gathering, office software application, and language expression. This effect further transfers to the personality level, significantly enhancing employees’ openness, extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness, while inhibiting neurotic tendencies. Organizational type plays a moderating role, with the positive effect being significant only in non-public enterprises and institutions. This study extends social learning theory to the context of human–machine interaction, revealing the internalization pathway through which AI, as a virtual modeler, influences employees’ ability development. It also examines the transfer effect of capabilities from cognition to personality, providing theoretical support and practical implications for the capability-enhancing effects of human–machine collaboration.