Lights and shadows of generative AI for individuals, organizations, and society explores the multifaceted impacts of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) and related technologies on various domains. This special issue delves into both the advantages and potential pitfalls of GenAI, touching upon its profound influence on individuals, businesses, and society at large. It examines the integration of AI in business strategies across different sectors, highlighting how AI's increasing sophistication is transforming marketplaces and decision-making processes. The issue also addresses the ethical implications and challenges arising from AI adoption, underscoring the need for a balanced approach to harness GenAI's full potential while mitigating its risks.
This special issue aims to address not only the key benefits but also the major potential drawbacks for individuals, organizations, and societies of recent advances in generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) and other advanced AI-powered technologies (e.g., autonomous robots, predictive analytics) across varied service and consumption contexts.
The recent rapid development of GenAI and its application in various industries has been unstoppable and is expected to have dramatic impact on individuals, organizations, and societies. AI has been incorporated into digital business strategies, including applications such as expert systems, machine learning, robotics, natural language processing, machine vision, or speech recognition. Implementation of AI-powered technologies such as service robots, chatbots, smart speakers, and other intelligent assistants already deliver new services and increasingly interact with customers in the frontline in various sectors such as banking, hospitality and tourism, or healthcare. AI is becoming increasingly more sophisticated, according to the levels proposed by Huang and Rust, and includes not only mechanical but also analytical, intuitive, and empathetic skills. As a result, the implementation of AI in business is transforming the marketplace and affecting decision-making. GenAI is expected to accelerate these developments.
From a company perspective, AI implementation can generate value via process automation, improved decision-making, and customer engagement. Therefore, the success of AI initiatives is based on their expected benefits, for example, customer experience, service quality, and productivity. However, previous studies have also noted that users can experience not only benefits, but also costs derived from the interaction with AI applications. Similarly, the use of AI in business strategy still holds several open questions. Therefore, it is not surprising that previous studies have suggested that the development of new AI applications presents many challenges.
Similarly, recent advances in the field of AI (e.g., generative AI) offer not only new opportunities but have also raised several concerns. GenAI produces new content in the form of human-like discourse, and the use of GenAI models and systems is becoming widespread. GenAI may have great implications for business practice in several sectors, such as banking, travel and tourism, or health care, as well as in activities such as marketing and management. Therefore, there is a need to understand GenAI applications and their positive and negative consequences for consumers, companies, and society.
In addition, previous literature has identified several ethical implications (e.g., related to fairness, privacy, security, etc.) in the context of AI use that still require further analysis from several perspectives.
In summary, the widespread use of GenAI across domains offers opportunities and challenges that need to be effectively understood to take full advantage of its benefits. It also requires implementing measures to mitigate the possible negative effects associated with its potential risks and threats. This dual approach will ensure that the adoption of GenAI remains aligned with ethical, practical and sustainable standards, thereby enabling greater innovation, efficiency, and positive change.