Generative AI at Work: Gains, Gaps, and Governance

In many organizations, the promise of introducing advanced technologies centers on automation, cost reduction, and speed. However, empirical research suggests that a key factor in the success of new technologies is not only the capability of the machine but also how humans, systems, and technologies interconnect.

A study by Brynjolfsson, Li, and Raymond titled “Generative AI at Work,” published in The Quarterly Journal of Economics, provides a rich case study that illustrates this point. The authors introduce the question of implementing AI technologies as follows:

"The emergence of generative artificial intelligence (AI) has attracted significant attention for its potential economic impact. Although various generative AI tools have performed well in laboratory settings, questions remain about their effectiveness in the real world, where they may encounter unfamiliar problems, face organizational resistance, or provide misleading information (Peng et al. 2023a; Roose 2023)."