AI as Co-workers: An Explorative Research on Technology Acceptance Based on the Revised Bloom Taxonomy

Artificial intelligence and technology acceptance are both extensively discussed in academic research with various scholars contributing to these areas. This paper outlines an approach to link the two concepts through the analysis of competences accredited to artificial intelligence from a laymen perspective. An interview guideline regarding the acceptance of artificial intelligence was developed based on four science fiction snippets. Each snippet representing one competence level according to Bloom’s taxonomy and different domains of artificial intelligence. To develop our propositions a series of experiments were undertaken. In each experiment four snippets were viewed individually by fourteen participants. The collected data were qualitatively evaluated using grounded theory. The results suggest that existing technology acceptance models should be supplemented with additional variables covering the visibility of, the plausibility of the algorithms applied, and the emotional experience with an artificial intelligence system. A preliminary framework in form of prepositions for further research is presented. We conclude that the acceptance of the daily practice for employees using or co-working with artificial intelligence systems can be increased with the aid of a multi-tier traffic light approach, visualizing the core elements of the artificial intelligence system in place.