How and when does AI awareness affect hotel frontline employee's Unethical Pro-organizational Behavior? Insights from two longitudinal studies

Despite increasing recognition that Artificial Intelligence (AI) awareness significantly influences frontline hotel employees, little is known about whether, how, and under what conditions it impacts unethical proorganizational behavior (UPB). Drawing on the Conservation of Resources theory, this study investigates how and when AI awareness influences UPB among hotel employees. Utilizing two longitudinal studies-a three-wave panel survey and a two-week diary study, our findings reveal that heightened AI awareness is strongly associated with increased job insecurity, which in turn drives a rise in UPB. Notably, challenge appraisal attenuates the effect of AI awareness on job insecurity, thereby reducing UPB, while ethical leadership weakens the link between job insecurity and UPB. This study provides actionable guidance for mitigating ethical risks and sustaining employee morale in AI-integrated hospitality settings.