Purpose - This study investigates the mediating role of perceived AI-enabled workload reduction (PAIWR) between organizational culture and work–life integration (WLI) amongst IT professionals in South India, extending the job demands–resources model and sociotechnical systems theory.

Design/methodology/approach - A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 275 IT professionals. Structural equation modelling was used to test the direct and indirect relationships between organizational culture (bureaucratic, innovative, and supportive), PAIWR, and WLI.

Findings - Bureaucratic culture is negatively associated with PAIWR and WLI. Innovative and supportive cultures show no direct positive relationship with WLI; however, both are positively related to PAIWR, which strongly predicts WLI. Mediation analysis confirms that perceived AI-enabled workload reduction partially mediates the relationship between all three cultural types and work–life integration.

Practical implications - Organizations should foster adaptive, technology-positive cultures and strategically deploy AI to reduce workload and enhance employee well-being. Leaders should diagnose their dominant culture type and deploy targeted strategies for AI adoption accordingly.

Originality - This study provides theory-driven and contextualized insights into how AI-enabled workload reduction operates as a resource pathway linking organizational culture to work–life integration among IT professionals in South India, extending JD–R and socio-technical systems perspectives to AI-enabled work contexts.