New working paper: The Cybernetic Teammate: A Field Experiment on Generative AI Reshaping Teamwork and Expertise
AI as a Collaborative Partner
AI functions more like a teammate than a tool, replicating benefits of teamwork such as improved performance, expertise sharing, and positive emotional experiences.
This perspective requires organisations to rethink team structures, training programs, and boundaries between specialities, highlighting AI’s role in augmenting human capabilities.
AI not only automates tasks but reshapes how work is defined. It democratises expertise, enabling more employees to contribute to specialised tasks and opening new career pathways. The future demands re-imagined teamwork and management structures, requiring new organisational thinking beyond technological solutions.
Not just productivity
Organisations often view AI as a standard productivity tool, similar to calculators or spreadsheets, focusing primarily on efficiency gains.
As AI becomes more advanced, its use has shifted toward critical thinking and complex problem-solving. A narrow focus on efficiency risks overlooking the transformative potential of work with AI.