Artificial intelligence is reshaping enterprise work, but employees may experience psychological in-betweenness during such change. Using survey data from 120 Chinese employees with AI-use experience, this study examines whether leader support promotes AI crafting through three dimensions of AI-induced subjective liminality: anxiety, ambiguity, and reduced group identification. Results show that leader support reduces all three dimensions, while only reduced group identification significantly predicts AI crafting and mediates the relationship. The findings highlight the identity-protective role of leadership in AI-transformed enterprises.
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