Unpacking the AI Black Box in HRM: A Serial Mediation Model of Algorithmic Fairness, Trust, and AI Readiness with AI Anxiety as a Functional Predictor
It is shown that AI readiness, rather than emotional trust alone, is the key functional link in the AI-HRM interface, and organizations should move beyond merely auditing algorithmic fairness and focus on developing employees’ cognitive readiness for AI adoption through transparent systems and targeted literacy programs that transform anxiety into proactive digital competence.