Artificial intelligence and internet of things to improve smart hospitality services

Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) have significantly reshaped the hospitality sector by introducing intelligent operations and tailored services. This research explores how the AIoT-enabled service robots influence hotel employees’ psychological and operational dynamics. Specifically, it examines the interplay among job demands, resources, cognitive trust, and perceived behavioral control within the context of job demands and resources theory. The study analyzes employees’ job-related factors and establishes a conceptual framework that highlights how these elements shape employees’ experiences with service robots. Data were analyzed using SPSS 21 and SmartPLS software. The analysis revealed that self-efficacy enhances cognitive trust and perceived behavioral control, thus boosting employees’ confidence in working alongside robots and streamlining operations. Conversely, threat appraisals were found to undermine these benefits by exacerbating feelings of job insecurity. Responsiveness and interactivity positively influenced cognitive trust and perceived behavioral control, while anthropomorphic traits influenced only the latter. Familiarity with technology further amplified these effects. The findings underscore the necessity of cognitive trust, confidence, and technology familiarity among employees, thus offering actionable insights for hoteliers to optimize human–machine collaboration, harmonize innovation with employee welfare, and achieve sustainable, intelligent development.