The Impact of AI Utilization on Organizational Sustainable Performance: The Mediating Effect of Knowledge Sharing and the Moderating Mediating Effect of Technology Acceptance

초록

In the era of digital transformation, artificial intelligence (AI) has become a critical driver for organizational sustainability, particularly for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that face resource constraints and competitive pressures. Drawing on survey data from 363 employees in Chinese SMEs, this study investigates the impact of AI utilization on organizational sustainability performance, with knowledge sharing as a mediator and technology acceptance as a moderator. The results indicate that AI utilization significantly enhances knowledge sharing, and knowledge sharing in turn exerts a positive influence on organizational sustainability performance. Moreover, knowledge sharing mediates the relationship between AI utilization and sustainability outcomes, highlighting its pivotal role as a transmission mechanism. However, the direct effect of AI utilization on organizational sustainability performance is not statistically significant, suggesting that AI creates value mainly through organizational processes rather than direct technological adoption. Furthermore, technology acceptance does not significantly moderate the AI–knowledge sharing relationship, which challenges assumptions of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). These findings contribute to theory by emphasizing knowledge sharing as a key pathway in translating AI investments into sustainability performance, while also revealing boundary conditions where individual-level acceptance may be insufficient. Practically, the study underscores the need for SMEs to align AI adoption with knowledge-sharing mechanisms, organizational readiness, and capability building. Limitations and future research directions are discussed, including the need for longitudinal and multi-source data to capture long-term sustainability effects.

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