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Hila Lifshitz

Professor Of Management
Warwick Business School

Cyborgs, Centaurs and Self Automators: Human-GenAI Knowledge Co-creation and its Implications for Skilling

顿补迟别:听Thursday, December 5, 2024
Time: 10:30 am 鈥� 12:00 pm

Abstract

Research on human-AI collaboration in professional settings has focused primarily on specific interactions between knowledge professionals and AI at the point of decision making . Yet generative AI broadens the possibilities of human-AI interactions and changes the nature of interaction to a conversational one. In this field study of 244 global management consultants from the Boston Consulting Group as they engaged with genAI, we find that knowledge professionals may engage in one of three distinct types of human-AI co-creation that we call fused co -creation (鈥渃yborgs;鈥� engaging with AI by tightly integrating human and AI tasks), directed co-creation (鈥渃entaurs;鈥� using their knowledge of the current strengths of generative AI to switch between human and AI tasks accordingly), and abdicated co-creation (鈥渟elf-automators;鈥� putting their decisions and actions on autopilot, so that they happen without conscious thought). As a result, cyborgs newskilled themselves in new GenAI-related capabilities, opening new potential professional paths; while centaurs upskilled themselves and strengthen their current profession鈥檚/al capabilities. Self- automators did not gain new skills and are impeding their current profession鈥檚/al capabilities. By reconceptualizing human-AI collaboration as a knowledge co-creative process between professionals and AI across the full problem-solving workflow, rather than as a work process between professionals and AI at the point of decision making, this paper develops new theory about how and when professionals can collaborate with AI and with what consequences. These findings contribute to our understanding of the future of work and knowledge of work professionals. Finally, we contribute to the larger debate on automation vs. augmentation or professionals by illustrating the rise of a third category: transformation.