Workplace Artificial Intelligence and Employee Competitiveness: The Strategic Role of Employee Agility in Higher Education Institutions

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the influence of Workplace Artificial Intelligence (WAI) on Employee Competitiveness (EC), with Employee Agility (EA) serving as a mediating variable. Grounded in the resource-based view (RBV), the research addresses the growing need to understand how AI adoption in the workplace shapes individual capabilities and performance, particularly within the context of public higher education in Indonesia. A quantitative approach was employed using a causal research design. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire distributed to 167 academic staff at public universities, selected using purposive sampling. The model was analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to assess both measurement and structural components. The findings reveal that WAI significantly enhances both EA and EC, while Employee Agility also positively affects Employee Competitiveness. Furthermore, the study confirms a significant indirect effect of WAI on EC through EA, indicating that agility plays a mediating role in translating technological exposure into competitive capability. These results emphasis the importance of fostering agility among employees as a strategic response to technological change. The study contributes to both theoretical understanding and practical insight, encouraging institutions to not only invest in AI technologies but also support the behavioral readiness of their workforce through leadership, learning, and organizational culture.