Artificial Intelligence in planned processes of organizational change

What are the prospects for the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) as part of organizational change activities? This chapter begins by reviewing what has happened so far. Then, drawing upon Snowden and Boone’s (2007) framework for leadership decision-making, it provides a four-part typology of different situations (i.e., simple, complicated, complex, and chaotic) that require different types of change response that enlist AI in different ways (i.e., automatic change, automated change, augmented change, and adaptive change). It is posited that the most challenging change situations that organizations encounter tend to be ‘complex’ or ‘chaotic’ in nature, and these situations demand approaches that meaningfully integrate generative AI in concert with generative human activity. Based upon the extent to which generative AI and generative human processes are utilized in planned change initiatives, four possible future OD (organization development) scenarios are discussed, namely: ‘traditional diagnostic OD’ (with low use of generative AI and low generative dialogue); ‘contemporary dialogic OD’ (low use of generative AI and high generative dialogue); ‘AI-based OD’ (high use of generative AI and low generative dialogue); and ‘progressive OD’ (high use of generative AI and high generative dialogue). Finally, a case is made for embracing ‘progressive OD’ on the basis that the technological disruption and human dislocation in organizations caused by AI is driving the need for concomitant AI–human co-created, generative change solutions.