Human-computer interaction: catalyst or drain? Dual pathways of employee creativity from a psychological resources perspective

Purpose With digital technology and AI increasingly embedded in work, human-computer interaction design has become pivotal in unlocking intelligent technologies’ creative potential for both research and practice. Most research focuses on AI’s association with employee creativity but rarely explores the psychological mechanisms linking human-computer interaction to employee creativity. This study examines the double-edged nature of this association from a psychological resources perspective. Design/methodology/approach An online survey of employees in firms undergoing digital and intelligent transformation yielded 367 valid responses. Hypotheses were tested via structural equation modeling, regression, and bootstrap analyses, examining the association between human-computer interaction modes and employee creativity. Psychological availability and burnout served as mediators, and perceived organizational support as a moderator. Findings Findings suggest that human-computer interaction is linked to employee creativity through both positive and negative pathways. In the positive pathway, human-computer interaction is positively associated with psychological availability, which is in turn positively associated with employee creativity. In the negative pathway, human-computer interaction is positively associated with burnout, which is negatively associated with employee creativity. Further analysis shows that perceived organizational support moderates both pathways: it is associated with a strengthening of the positive mediating effect of psychological availability and a weakening of the negative mediating effect of burnout. Thus, a moderated dual mediation model is supported. Originality/value This study contributes to the human-computer interaction and employee creativity literature in three ways. First, it examines the psychological mechanisms linking the two, moving beyond a narrow focus on positive associations. Second, adopting a psychological resources lens, it reveals a double-edged pattern, with psychological availability and burnout serving as dual mediators. Finally, it identifies perceived organizational support as a key moderator, establishing a moderated dual-mediation model. This provides insights into leveraging human-computer interaction for creativity.