How AI Training and Organizational Support Enhance Employee Job Performance: The Mediating Role of Employee AI Competence and the Moderating Role of Task–AI Fit in Pakistani SMEs

Abstract

The rapid adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace has made it more important than ever to build employee capabilities to deliver better results. This study explores the effects of AI Training Effectiveness and Organizational Support for AI Use on Employee Job Performance, with Employee AI Competence as a mediator and Task–AI Fit as a moderator. The proposed model was tested with data obtained from employees of SMEs in Pakistan, using PLS-SEM. The results indicate that training and support provided to organizations on AI are statistically significant for the increase in Employee AI Competence, which in turn has a positive effect on job performance. Furthermore, AI competence and performance are positively related, and Task–AI Fit strengthens this relationship. The research emphasizes the need for aligning investments in AI, employee skills, and tasks in the workplace to enable AI transformation to be successful.