# Signaling Organizational Artificial Intelligence Adoption in Recruitment Materials: Role of Perceived Innovation Ability in Organizational Attractiveness

## TL;DR

This study shows that signaling AI adoption in recruitment materials can make organizations more attractive to job seekers, especially those who feel confident in their AI skills.

## Contribution

The research introduces AI adoption as a signaling mechanism in recruitment, extending signaling theory to the digital era.

## Key findings

- AI-adoption signals significantly increase organizational attractiveness.
- Perceived innovation ability mediates the effect of AI signals on attractiveness.
- The effect is stronger for job seekers with high AI self-efficacy.

## Abstract

Although previous studies have examined factors influencing organizational appeal, how AI-adoption signals influence prospective applicants remains unclear. Building on signaling theory, this study explores whether, when, and how organizations’ AI-adoption signals enhance their attractiveness to potential applicants. Two experiments were conducted to test the hypothesized model. Study 1 (N = 145) employed a scenario-based design to compare organizational attractiveness between AI-adoption signal and no-signal conditions, confirming that AI-adoption signals are significantly positively associated with organizational attractiveness. Study 2 (N = 240) recruited active job seekers and validated a moderated mediation model: perceived innovation ability mediates the positive association between AI-adoption signals and organizational attractiveness, especially among job seekers with high AI self-efficacy. By conceptualizing AI adoption as an organizational signal, this research extends signaling theory to the context of technology-infused recruitment and offers practical insights for designing more effective recruitment strategies in the digital era.