Who Perceives Work Performance Improvements from Generative AI Use in Government, Early-Stage Diffusion? Exploring the Roles of Organizational Power and Motivation on Work Performance

This study examines which civil servants perceive performance improvements from using generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) and why, drawing on the Ability-Motivation-Opportunity theory and the reinforcement politics model. Using the Korea Institute of Public Administration survey data, we analyzed responses from 1,608 Korean civil servants. Results indicate that civil servants who frequently use generative AI and are intrinsically motivated perceive greater benefits from AI-assisted work than those with organizational power. These findings suggest that, early in the adoption of generative AI tools in government, these tools influence performance by shaping motivation and usage, not hierarchy.