The Role of Interpersonal Trust in Artificial Intelligence (AI) Adoption within HRM Practices

Research Objective. While trust has been identified as an important factor in technology acceptance and organizational activities, its specific role in AI adoption within HRM remains insufficiently understood. This study provides preliminary empirical evidence on the relationship between interpersonal trust and AI adoption across six HRM practices in Italian and Finnish organizations. Data and Methods. A descriptive survey methodology was adopted, drawing on data from 176 organizations in Italy and Finland. Interpersonal trust was measured across five dimensions: benevolence, integrity, fairness, reliability, and competence, on a 5-point Likert scale. AI adoption was operationalized through adoption status, adoption stage, and depth of use across six HRM practices. Trust profiles were examined descriptively across adoption stages, company size categories, and business activity types. Results. The relationship between interpersonal trust and AI adoption in HRM is neither linear nor direct. Overall trust scores show negligible differences between adopters and non-adopters in both countries. However, organizations simultaneously using and implementing AI report consistently higher trust than those only implementing. Medium-sized organizations show a cross-nationally consistent pattern of adopters reporting higher trust than non-adopters. Trust patterns also differ by business activity type and national context, with Italian and Finnish production sector organizations showing opposite trust profiles between adopters and non-adopters. Conclusion. Trust operates as a context-dependent factor in AI adoption in HRM, shaped by adoption stage, organizational size, and business activity type. These preliminary findings open important questions for future longitudinal and comparative research on the role of trust in AI-mediated HRM practices.