RICK Forum 2025

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Agency in the Age of AI

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A special RICK section theme on Agency in the Age of AI was published in Information and Organization Issues 1 and 3 of 2025, which included the following articles:

 

Issue 1:

• Schatzki, T.R. Agency.Information and Organization, Vol 35

• Jones, M., 2025. I gotta use words when I talk to you: Primed suspension of disbelief in views on agency in relation to Artificial Intelligence. Information and Organization Vol 35

• Scott, S.V., Orlikowski, W.J., 2025. Exploring AI-in-the-making: Sociomaterial genealogies of AI performativity. Information and Organization Vol 35.

• Kellogg, K.C., Lifshitz, H., Randazzo, S., Mollick, E., Dell’Acqua, F., McFowland, E., Candelon, F., Lakhani, K.R., 2025. Novice risk work: How juniors coaching seniors on emerging technologies such as generative AI can lead to learning failures. Information and Organization Vol 35.

• Krakowski, S., 2025. Human-AI agency in the age of generative AI. Information and Organization Vol 35.

 

Issue 3:

• Leonardi, P.M., 2025. Homo agenticus in the age of agentic AI: Agency loops, power displacement, and the circulation of responsibility. Information and Organization Vol 35.

• Stein, M.-K., Shollo, A., 2025. Microfoundations of rationality in the age of AI: On emotions, bodies and intelligence. Information and Organization Vol 35.

• Broek, E. van den, 2025. Unpacking AI at work: Data work, knowledge work, and values work. Information and Organization Vol 35.

• Cecez-Kecmanovic, D., 2025. Ethics in the world of automated algorithmic decision-making – A Posthumanist perspective. Information and Organization Vol 35.

• Hultin, L., Mähring, M., 2025. Reimagining AI for sustainability: Cultivating imagination, hope, and response-ability. Information and Organization Vol 35.

 

To further explore the theme of Agency in the Age of AI, CDI hosted a RICK Forum in July 2025 at Cambridge Judge Business School, welcoming academics and practitioners from across the globe to engage in lively discussions on a range of issues related to the increasing use of AI in all walks for life.

The key questions explored in the RICK Forum included:

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• To what extent is AI reshaping agency?

• How are new forms of machine agency emerging and collaborating with human agency in performing work?

• In what ways do we need to rethink our understanding of agency in an era where GenAI may appear to exhibit human-like agency

• How are these technologies driving innovations and impacting knowledge workers and professionals?

• What are the implications of AI developments for a relational view of human-AI agency and, consequently, for the future of work?

 

During the forum attendees also explored the broader implications of AI research for equity and value across people, organizations, and geographies. There were interesting discussions on agency (what it means to be human with AI) and discussions on digital technologies in organizations more broadly, including issues of design and the future of work.

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The Forum was held over two days in July. Day one started with an ECR/PhD workshop chaired by Neil Pollock, with presentations by Eric Monteiro and Susan Scott, and Luciana D’Adderio. This was followed by mentoring sessions where ECRs and PhD students were partnered with researchers to discuss development of their research for publication. Bob Hinings concluded the workshop with a reflection on making a wider impact through translation of research.

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A plenary session followed in the afternoon, chaired by Michael Barrett. Neil Pollock,  Marleen Huysman, and Paul Leonardi presented their RICK section papers. The day concluded with much discussion at a dinner held at Clare College.

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Day two started with short presentations from some of the ECRs and PhD students, showcasing their current research. Karl Prince chaired the first session, with presentations from Samer Faraj, Matthew Jones, Arisa Shollo, and Dubravka Cecez-Kecmanovic.

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Following lunch, Bob Hinings chaired the afternoon session, with presentations by Nelson Phillips, Susan Scott, and Magnus Mahring. Michael Barrett concluded the Forum, which had engendered much discussion, raising questions to inspire both development of existing research but also ideas for further research which we anticipate delivering insight for ongoing impact.

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Thank you to all who contributed and attended.​

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