Artificial Intelligence Literacy, Trust, and Anxiety: Implications for Workforce Development and Productivity in the Era of Smart Mobility
Abstract
The rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming organizational workflows and requiring employees to adapt to emerging technologies. This study aims to analyse the impact of AI literacy and trust in AI on work productivity, while examining whether AI anxiety serves as a mediating variable. A quantitative approach was employed using a cross-sectional survey design. Data were collected from 245 respondents working in the food and beverage sector in Jabodetabek, Indonesia, who have experience using AI-based systems. The instrument utilized a five-point Likert scale, and data were analysed through multiple regression within a mediation analysis framework. Results indicate that AI literacy has a strong positive and significant effect on work productivity $(\beta=0.637; \mathrm{p}<0.001)$, emerging as the strongest predictor in the model). However, AI anxiety does not mediate the relationship be-tween AI literacy or trust and productivity, as its effect on productivity is not significant $(\beta=-0.095; \mathrm{p}=0.291)$. These findings highlight the critical role of strengthening AI literacy to enhance employee productivity in the digital era. Organizations are encouraged to design training programs that go beyond technical skills, focusing on strategic AI utilization to optimize performance. The findings contribute to workforce development by highlighting the importance of AI capability building and psychological readiness in AI-driven operational environments associated with smart mobility ecosystems. Limitations include the small sample size and single-industry context, which limits the generalizability of findings across industries and smart mobility contexts. Future research should adopt longitudinal designs, explore additional variables such as perceived usefulness and organizational support, and extend to diverse sectors to deepen understanding of human–AI interaction dynamics.