Abstract: This study introduces the concept of AI use hiding and, grounded in the two-component model of impression management theory, examines the underlying motives driving employees’ AI use hiding behaviors through the dual-process lens of impression motivation and impression construction. Based on data from a three-wave survey of 475 employees at a large internet company in Southwest China, the findings reveal that: (1) employees’ perceived AI utility, along with their perceptions of leader’s AI trust or AI doubt, jointly stimulate assertive and defensive impression management motives (the impression motivation process); (2) these impression management motives, combined with employee’ perceived AI accessibility, influence their decision to hide AI use as a specific impression construction strategy (the impression construction process); (3) both assertive and defensive impression management motives mediate the relationship between perceived AI utility and AI use hiding; (4) the higher perceived leader’s AI trust or AI doubt and the lower perceived AI accessibility, the stronger the mediating effect of perceived AI utility on AI use hiding through impression management motives. These results not only illustrate that AI use hiding represents a balancing strategy between technological empowerment and impression management, but also highlight the crucial role of leadership attitudes and technological context in shaping employees’ impression management motivation and construction.

Key words: perceived AI utility, perceived leader’s AI attitude, impression management motives, perceived AI accessibility, AI use hiding