Objective: With the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in workplaces, understanding how this technology interacts with intra organizational social relationships has become increasingly important for explaining innovative behaviors. Therefore, this study examines the effect of AI on employees’ innovative work behavior and investigates the moderating role of organizational guanxi in this relationship.

Method: This study employed a quantitative cross sectional design. The statistical population consisted of employees of the Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation, from which 220 participants were selected using stratified random sampling. Data were collected through a questionnaire and analyzed using CB SEM and PLS SEM.

Findings: The results showed that artificial intelligence has a positive and significant effect on innovative work behavior (β = 0.147, p < 0.005). In addition, the interaction effect of AI and organizational guanxi on innovative work behavior was positive and significant (β = 0.392, p < 0.001), indicating a strengthening moderating role of guanxi. The coefficient of determination for innovative work behavior was R² = 0.685 and the predictive relevance index was Q² = 0.453, indicating satisfactory explanatory and predictive power of the model. The CB SEM results also confirmed acceptable model fit and the significance of structural relationships.

Conclusion: The findings suggest that the influence of AI on employees’ innovative behavior becomes stronger in organizational environments characterized by trust based social relationships and effective interpersonal interactions. Accordingly, the implementation of AI technologies in organizations should be accompanied by strengthening social capital and expanding employees’ relational networks.