AI and the Humanistic Organization: Technology and Barriers to Human Flourishing (2024)

Many workers already report that they are alienated from their jobs and find their workplaces to be stifling or uninviting and expect that the introduction of new technologies, including AI, will only worsen their organizational culture. This book outlines the need for a humane and responsible approach to technology, so that employees are not further disengaged from the workplace. This shift in approach should mean that when AI is introduced into an organization, workers have a central role in the design, implementation, and evaluation of this technology. Computer technology can thus promote human flourishing instead of contributing to alienation and insecurity in workplaces.

This book is a throwback to a time when high theory was an important part of discussions about computer technology. It brings together diverse disciplines to interrogate some important issues facing the development and application of AI, ultimately concluding that this technology is currently being guided by the wrong theory and a humanistic perspective is needed to access its full potential. The ideas presented will be of great interest to scholars and students of AI who focus on the workplace, organizational behavior, and business ethics.