Center for Artificial Intelligence, Innovation and the Future of Work

Research focus

Grounded in Information Systems, Technology and Innovation Management, and Organization Studies, our research explores how individuals, organizations, and ecosystems engage with AI algorithms and how artifacts and social and organizational practices interrelate and coevolve. An important impetus for our research is the advent of non-human, autonomous, and often black-boxed algorithmic agents interacting with humans in social contexts. This emergent phenomenon has the potential to substantively change organizational decision-making, as well as job content, occupational roles, role interactions and role dynamics. Of particular interest to the center are also innovation processes involving AI, both within organizations, in open and collaborative contexts, and in the form of (bounded or open) innovation ecosystems. At the same time, AI is not an independent external “force” impacting social contexts –it is very much a sociotechnical phenomenon, shaped by and under the influence of human actors. Thus, understanding the mutual constitution of general AI technologies and specific artifacts inscribed with particular intentions, with social contexts and practices, is essential. These phenomena in turn are predicted to have important consequences for work life, and for quality of life in societies. While our research does not primarily address societal level impacts, but rather focuses on micro and meso levels, we see our research as developing scientific knowledge and novel theory on phenomena and practices that underlie such macro level impacts.

CAI is a research center at SIR, Stockholm School of Economics Institute for Research. The SIR Foundation is a national research institute for the economic sciences, with a focus on Business Administration in the broadest sense.