Navigating AI Displacement Threats: Evidence-Based Strategies for Organizational Resilience and Employee Creativity, by Jonathan H. Westover PhD

Abstract: Artificial intelligence adoption is reshaping workplaces at an unprecedented pace, creating significant concerns about job displacement among employees across industries and skill levels. This article examines recent empirical research demonstrating that perceived AI displacement threats can paradoxically enhance employee creativity under specific organizational conditions. Drawing on a multi-study investigation spanning laboratory experiments and field studies across Chinese organizations, we explore how supervisory support and employees' intrinsic motivation interact with displacement concerns to influence creative performance. The findings reveal that while AI threats can motivate creative problem-solving, this relationship depends critically on supportive leadership and employees' baseline motivation levels. Organizations can leverage these insights through evidence-based interventions including transparent communication, capability development programs, and leadership practices that emphasize psychological safety and autonomy. This analysis provides practical frameworks for leaders navigating technological transitions while maintaining workforce engagement and innovation capacity.