Artificial Intelligence as a Disruptive Innovation from an Organizational Perspective

The increasingly pervasive introduction of A.I. systems is one of the distinctive features of the so-called Capitalism 4.0. Analyses of this phenomenon are rapidly flourishing. One branch of studies is dedicated to the possible developments of these technologies in relation to the multiple fields and ways of application, considering the new skills needed as well as the implications for the nature and quality of work. A second large area of study addresses the large-scale effects of new technologies, considering their employment, work and social impact: for example, the possible effects of substitution, creation, displacement and transformation of work, or the effects on the distribution of employment and wealth, on welfare state systems and labour regulation. This contribution addresses an intermediate analytical area between the two mentioned above, reflecting on the possible effects of A.I. on organizational structure and processes, using some analytical tools provided by the sociology of the organization. The hypothesis that we want to examine is that the introduction of management and operational devices based on the A.I. can constitute a disruptive innovation also from the organizational point of view. This is possible because A.I. interacts widely with the dynamics of learning, communication, decision and action that operate at various levels in organizations. It can therefore be important to reflect, taking a sociotechnical perspective, on how A.I. interacts with different organizational aspects, such as the system of roles and relationships, coordination mechanisms, decision-making processes, authority structures, organizational cultures, etc.