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This study examines the double-edged sword effect of task-technology fit (TTF) on scientific creative performance in the humanities and social sciences, utilizing a mixed-methods approach. Analyzing data from 405 Chinese HSS scholars through structural equation modeling and conducting thematic analysis with 12 in-depth interviews revealed that TTF generates a paradox by enhancing AI literacy while increasing AI dependence. AI literacy promotes augmentation interactions, boosting scientific creativity, whereas dependence leads to automation patterns that hinder it. Demographic variations show female and senior scholars exhibit higher levels of dependence, with AI usage frequency demonstrating a non-linear relationship with dependence. Qualitative insights highlight distinct methodological orientations toward GAI among subdisciplines, raising concerns about ethical implications, dependency, and academic inequality. This research challenges the assumption that technology-task fit always yields positive outcomes and introduces the “AI Empowerment-Inhibition Paradox” as a framework for understanding these dynamics.
Qian et al. (Mon,) studied this question.