Publication Type

Journal Article

Version

publishedVersion

Publication Date

12-2026

Abstract

Artificial intelligence is increasingly central to organizational work, yet employee trust in AI remains fragile. Although prior research has primarily explained trust in AI through technological characteristics such as transparency, reliability, and accuracy, we argue that trust in AI is also shaped by the social context in which employees encounter these systems. Drawing on affect-as-information theory and social information processing theory, we develop and test a model in which leader-provided voice opportunities reduce employees’ negative affect about AI-related work experiences, thereby enhancing perceptions of leader trustworthiness and, in turn, trust in AI. We further propose that this indirect effect depends on leader humility, because humility signals that employee concerns will be received in a respectful, open, and non-defensive manner. Results from a multi-wave field survey and an experiment support this model.

Keywords

Leadership, Artificial intelligence, Trust, Humility, Voice

Discipline

Artificial Intelligence and Robotics | Leadership Studies | Organizational Behavior and Theory

Research Areas

Organisational Behaviour and Human Resources

Publication

Journal of Business Research

Volume

217

First Page

1

Last Page

12

ISSN

0148-2963

Identifier

10.1016/j.jbusres.2026.116470

Publisher

Elsevier

Copyright Owner and License

Authors-CC-BY

Additional URL

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2026.116470

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