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Artificial Intelligence (AI): Multidisciplinary perspectives on emerging challenges, opportunities, and agenda for research, practice and policy

Yogesh Kumar Dwivedi(Prin. L. N. Welingkar Institute of Management Development and Research), Laurie Hughes(Swansea University), Elvira Ismagilova(University of Bradford), Gert Aarts A(Swansea University), Crispin R. Coombs(Loughborough University), Tom Crick(Swansea University), Yanqing Duan(University of Bedfordshire), Rohita Dwivedi(Prin. L. N. Welingkar Institute of Management Development and Research), John Steven Edwards(Aston University), Aled Eirug(Swansea University), Vassilis Galanos(University of Edinburgh), P. Vigneswara Ilavarasan(Indian Institute of Technology Delhi), Marijn Janssen(Delft University of Technology), Paul K. Jones(Swansea University), Arpan Kumar Kar(Indian Institute of Technology Delhi), Hatice Kizgin(University of Bradford), Bianca Kronemann(Swansea University), Banita Lal(University of Bedfordshire), Biagio Lucini A(Swansea University), Rony Medaglia(Copenhagen Business School), Kenneth Le Meunier‐FitzHugh(University of East Anglia), Leslie Caroline Le Meunier-FitzHugh(University of East Anglia), Santosh Misra(Government of Tamil Nadu), Emmanuel Mogaji(University of Greenwich), Sujeet Kumar Sharma, Jang Bahadur Singh(Indian Institute of Management Tiruchirappalli), Vishnupriya Raghavan, Ramakrishnan Raman(Symbiosis International University), Nripendra Pratap Rana(University of Bradford), Spyridon Samothrakis(University of Essex), Jak Spencer, Kuttimani Tamilmani(University of Bradford), Annie Tubadji(University of the West of England), Paul Walton(Swansea University), Michael D. Williams(Swansea University)
August 27, 2019International Journal of Information Management4,583 citations
PDFDOI

4.6k

Citations

0

Influential Citations

International Journal of Information Management

Venue

2019

Year

Abstract

As far back as the industrial revolution, significant development in technical innovation has succeeded in transforming numerous manual tasks and processes that had been in existence for decades where humans had reached the limits of physical capacity. Artificial Intelligence (AI) offers this same transformative potential for the augmentation and potential replacement of human tasks and activities within a wide range of industrial, intellectual and social applications. The pace of change for this new AI technological age is staggering, with new breakthroughs in algorithmic machine learning and autonomous decision-making, engendering new opportunities for continued innovation. The impact of AI could be significant, with industries ranging from: finance , healthcare, manufacturing, retail, supply chain , logistics and utilities, all potentially disrupted by the onset of AI technologies. The study brings together the collective insight from a number of leading expert contributors to highlight the significant opportunities, realistic assessment of impact, challenges and potential research agenda posed by the rapid emergence of AI within a number of domains: business and management, government, public sector, and science and technology . This research offers significant and timely insight to AI technology and its impact on the future of industry and society in general, whilst recognising the societal and industrial influence on pace and direction of AI development.

Analysis

Why This Paper Matters

This paper addresses the rapid emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) and its profound implications across society and industry. Published in 2019 in the International Journal of Information Management, it has garnered over 4,500 citations, reflecting its significant influence in shaping the discourse on AI's multidisciplinary impact. The work stands out for its comprehensive, expert-driven approach, bringing together insights from a wide range of leading contributors to provide a holistic view of AI's opportunities, challenges, and research agenda.

The timing of the paper is crucial, as AI technologies were beginning to demonstrate transformative potential across sectors such as finance, healthcare, manufacturing, and public services. By offering a realistic assessment of AI's impact and outlining a forward-looking agenda, the paper serves as a foundational reference for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers navigating the complexities of AI adoption and governance.

Technical Contributions

  • Multidisciplinary Expert Synthesis: The paper aggregates perspectives from numerous experts across business, government, public sector, and science and technology, providing a rich, multifaceted analysis of AI's role and impact.
  • Domain-Specific Agendas: It delineates specific opportunities, challenges, and research agendas for key domains, including business and management, government and public sector, and science and technology, thereby guiding targeted research and policy efforts.
  • Identification of Societal and Industrial Influences: The study highlights how societal and industrial factors shape the pace and direction of AI development, emphasizing the need for responsible innovation and policy frameworks.
  • Realistic Impact Assessment: Beyond hype, the paper offers a balanced view of AI's potential, acknowledging both the transformative opportunities and the significant challenges that must be addressed.

Results

As a perspective and review paper, it does not present empirical results or quantitative metrics. Instead, it synthesizes expert opinions to outline the opportunities, challenges, and research agenda for AI. The key outcome is a structured, multidisciplinary framework that categorizes AI's impact across various sectors and proposes directions for future research and policy. The paper's influence is evidenced by its high citation count, indicating its role in informing subsequent research and practice.

Significance

The paper's significance lies in its early and comprehensive articulation of AI's multidisciplinary implications. It has helped shape the research agenda by highlighting the need for cross-sector collaboration and policy development. For AI practitioners, it provides a broad understanding of the contextual factors that influence AI deployment and the importance of considering ethical, social, and regulatory dimensions. The paper's emphasis on a realistic assessment of AI's impact continues to be relevant as the field evolves, underscoring the need for responsible and inclusive AI development.

artificial-intelligencemultidisciplinaryresearch-agendasocietal-impactpolicyindustry-disruptionexpert-perspective

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