OD and AI - 6 November 2023

The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Organisation Development

Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, particularly computer systems. It involves the development of algorithms, software, and systems that enable computers to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence. AI technologies aim to mimic cognitive functions such as learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception, language understanding, and decision-making.

Research has been commissioned by the ODNE to gain a better understand of the level of understanding, applications and impact of AI within the field of Organisation Development.

What is Organisation Development?
"Organisation Development (OD) refers to the interdisciplinary field of scholars and practitioners who work collaboratively with organisations and communities to develop their system-wide capacity for effectiveness and vitality. It is grounded in the organisation and social sciences." *

This questionnaire forms part of a wider series of consultations designed by and for the OD community. The results will be used to create a report on the following:

1. The current perceived understanding of the technology landscape in OD

2. Level of openess to technology, and specifically Artificial Intelligence, by OD practitioners

3. Specific areas where AI applications have been applied

4. Specific areas that can be identified where AI could be applied

5. What might be the components of an ethical AI framework for OD practitioners

The report will be published in Spring 2024.

In line with the GDPR Regulations for handling data, all information will be managed by the ODNE Board in partnership with Strong Enterprises Limited.

The data will be kept for 1 year.

*Smendzuik-O’Brien, J., & Gilpin-Jackson, Y. (2021). What is the definition of OD? Report on the definition of Organization Development (OD) circle of work. Organization Development Review, 53(1), 12-20.

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* 1. Which of the following options most closely aligns with your gender?

Woman

Man

Non-binary

A gender that is not listed here

I would prefer not to answer

Comment

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* 2. What is your age?

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* 3. How many years experience do you have working in the organisation development field?

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* 4. Is your current OD role an internal , external or encompasses both?

Internal OD role within an organisation

External OD consultant role to an organisation(s)

OD consulting and/or training organisation

None of the above

Comment

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* 5. Where do you live?

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* 6. Please select the statement that aligns most closely with your view on technology now

Technology is the primary driver of societal change, and human agency has minimal influence.

While technology plays a significant role, human choices can also influence societal outcomes.

Technology and human agency interact in complex ways to shape society.

Human choices and values predominantly shape technology, with limited technological determinism.

Other

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* 7. Please select the statements you (strongly) agree with today (tick all that apply)

I would find AI systems useful in my OD job.

It would be easy for me to become skilful at using AI systems.

People who influence my behaviour think that I should use AI systems.

I have the resources necessary to use AI systems.

I think using AI systems is fun.

I intend to use AI systems in the next year.

AI systems are good value for money.

The use of AI systems has become a habit for me.

None of the above

Other (please specify)

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* 8. What aspects of AI are a concern for you to (start) using it (more)?

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* 9. Collecting data. AI tracking systems can make the process of monitoring of staff more discreet. Of the following, which would (do) you find helpful to your work in OD?

Multiple virtual interviews conducted by an AI conversational agent/assistant interviewing system at the same time.

Body heat, motion sensors, tone of voice that track an employee (e.g. for emotions) while they are at their desk/meetings.

Using location tracking data on an employee's smart phone issued by the organisation for network analysis.

Logs of keystrokes and web activity of an employee to monitor productivity.

Analysis of video monitoring in the workplace.

Biometric identification systems for stress or wellbeing analysis.

Reporting from a personal learning AI agent (or AI coach) used by an employee.

Sentiment analysis of an employee at work.

Reading the thoughts of an employee at work (Theory of Mind).

None of the above

Comment

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* 10. Data Analysis. AI can take very large amounts of unstructured data sets from all parts of the organisation and identify patterns. Accepting the appropriate permissions are in place which statement is closest to your current opinion on using AI in data analysis?

AI will not be able to observe and identify what a professional OD practitioner can see.

I prefer to do the analysis myself, there are usually too many gaps in the data to allow for useful analysis by an AI.

Yes, I would like to use an AI tool for analysing hard data. I just have not got round to identifying an AI product.

Yes, I am conducting analysis with AI on specific tasks such as online questionnaires.

Yes, I frequently explore using AI to do a full analysis of all the data available to my project.

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* 11. Action planning. AI is already used extensively in the recruitment industry to manage a client organisation, recruitment consultant and candidate through a recruitment journey. There are now AI products that guide employees, teams and leaders in their personal action plans that are also aligned to team-wide action plans. Would (do) you find this AI facility useful in your OD work?

Not useful

useful

Extremely useful

Clear

i We adjusted the number you entered based on the slider’s scale.

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* 12. In recent months there has been a growing interest in the many ways that AI can demonstrate creativity in different areas of work. This is includes writing stories, producing art or even writing entire research papers. How might AI enable new and creative thinking processes in an OD project?

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* 13. Leading change. AI products can provide an OD consultant, coach or OD practitioner a means by which to “deliver individual and team behaviour-change at scale”. They can schedule team meetings, monitor "homework for each team member" and generate reports for the next meeting. Would you find this useful in your OD work?

Not useful

useful

Extremely useful

Clear

i We adjusted the number you entered based on the slider’s scale.

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* 14. Evaluating and adopting change. Employee feedback surveys can be an important part of an OD practitioner's process. AI technologies are able to give a real time assessment of the employee's sentiment towards an OD programme. Which statement is closest to your current opinion?

I prefer to talk with employees in 1:1 interviews and focus groups to establish the success of an OD programme.

I have not found an AI solution that fits my requirements.

Yes, I already use AI products to get feedback from specific individuals, groups or departments to monitor the progress of an OD programme or project.

Yes, I am designing my own employee sentiment analysis to capture the concerns and successes of my OD projects.

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* 15. Ethical AI. “AI ethics is a set of values, principles, and techniques that employ widely accepted standards of right and wrong to guide moral conduct in the development and use of AI technologies” (https://www.turing.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2019-08/understanding_artificial_intelligence_ethics_and_safety.pdf)

Do you think values change according to the task in hand?

Yes

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* 16. Ethical AI. There are well over 100 ethical frameworks for AI being developed around the world. (Jobin, A., Ienca, M. & Vayena, E. The global landscape of AI ethics guidelines. Nat Mach Intell 1, 389–399 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42256-019-0088-2)

Please select the four values that you think should be a priority to those developing AI solutions for the workplace. To do this, reorganise the list so that your selection of four is at the top of the list. (use the up/down arrows to the right).

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* 17. Legal considerations. Worldwide, there are regulations being developed to maintain AI safety. Organisations are being encouraged to voluntarily sign up to an "AI code of Conduct" or develop their own frameworks when implementing AI in their business. For an OD practitioner this creates additional complexities. Please tick those regulations of which you are aware.

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) - privacy regulations

EU AI Act - a tiered structure based on risk assessment (EU)

ISO 27001, ISO 27017, ISO 27018, ISO 27701 (Global)

1012-2016 - IEEE Standard for System, Software, and Hardware Verification and Validation (USA)

The 2019 Algorithmic Accountability Act (USA)- with an annual impact assessment report

Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights (USA) - Citizens are protected from any algorithmic discrimination, privacy intrusion, and other harms

The Global AI Safety Summit led by the UK Government

Principles for the Ethical Use of Artificial Intelligence in the United Nations System (UN ITU)

None of the above

Please include any additional regulations for Artificial Intelligence that could impact an OD practitioner.

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* 18. AI Safety. In recent months there has been a growing international interest in regulating the development of AI and its applications. What constraints on the use of AI in OD would you recommend?

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* 19. To what extent do you engage with AI technologies currently? Please tick the boxes where you have seen AI having an impact.

	I do not use any AI processes in my OD work	I use AI (such as Chat GPT) to help me with defining and designing my OD project	I use AI as as a tool for the delivery of my OD project	I use AI for evaluating my findings in my OD projects
Individual interventions (e.g coaching, personal leadership, spoken communication styles,... )	Individual interventions (e.g coaching, personal leadership, spoken communication styles,... ) I do not use any AI processes in my OD work	Individual interventions (e.g coaching, personal leadership, spoken communication styles,... ) I use AI (such as Chat GPT) to help me with defining and designing my OD project	Individual interventions (e.g coaching, personal leadership, spoken communication styles,... ) I use AI as as a tool for the delivery of my OD project	Individual interventions (e.g coaching, personal leadership, spoken communication styles,... ) I use AI for evaluating my findings in my OD projects
Interpersonal interventions (e.g conflict management)	Interpersonal interventions (e.g conflict management) I do not use any AI processes in my OD work	Interpersonal interventions (e.g conflict management) I use AI (such as Chat GPT) to help me with defining and designing my OD project	Interpersonal interventions (e.g conflict management) I use AI as as a tool for the delivery of my OD project	Interpersonal interventions (e.g conflict management) I use AI for evaluating my findings in my OD projects
Group interventions (e.g team building, analysing team patterns,...)	Group interventions (e.g team building, analysing team patterns,...) I do not use any AI processes in my OD work	Group interventions (e.g team building, analysing team patterns,...) I use AI (such as Chat GPT) to help me with defining and designing my OD project	Group interventions (e.g team building, analysing team patterns,...) I use AI as as a tool for the delivery of my OD project	Group interventions (e.g team building, analysing team patterns,...) I use AI for evaluating my findings in my OD projects
Intergroup interventions (e.g collaboration/conflict between departments, strategy implementation,...)	Intergroup interventions (e.g collaboration/conflict between departments, strategy implementation,...) I do not use any AI processes in my OD work	Intergroup interventions (e.g collaboration/conflict between departments, strategy implementation,...) I use AI (such as Chat GPT) to help me with defining and designing my OD project	Intergroup interventions (e.g collaboration/conflict between departments, strategy implementation,...) I use AI as as a tool for the delivery of my OD project	Intergroup interventions (e.g collaboration/conflict between departments, strategy implementation,...) I use AI for evaluating my findings in my OD projects
Organisational interventions (e.g cultural change; mission/vision exercise, new organisational structures,..)	Organisational interventions (e.g cultural change; mission/vision exercise, new organisational structures,..) I do not use any AI processes in my OD work	Organisational interventions (e.g cultural change; mission/vision exercise, new organisational structures,..) I use AI (such as Chat GPT) to help me with defining and designing my OD project	Organisational interventions (e.g cultural change; mission/vision exercise, new organisational structures,..) I use AI as as a tool for the delivery of my OD project	Organisational interventions (e.g cultural change; mission/vision exercise, new organisational structures,..) I use AI for evaluating my findings in my OD projects
Total system interventions (e.g changing inter-organisation networks and eco systems)	Total system interventions (e.g changing inter-organisation networks and eco systems) I do not use any AI processes in my OD work	Total system interventions (e.g changing inter-organisation networks and eco systems) I use AI (such as Chat GPT) to help me with defining and designing my OD project	Total system interventions (e.g changing inter-organisation networks and eco systems) I use AI as as a tool for the delivery of my OD project	Total system interventions (e.g changing inter-organisation networks and eco systems) I use AI for evaluating my findings in my OD projects

The AI applications that I use now include:

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* 20. To what extent will AI engage with the OD professional in the following areas in next 5 years? Please tick the boxes where you think AI will have an impact.

	OD practitioners will complete their tasks independently of AI processes	OD practitioners will lead using AI as a tool	OD practitioners will share decision-making with AI in a project	OD practitioners will be replaced by AI	Are you aware of an AI application on this level already? Please include example in the comment box
Individual interventions	Individual interventions OD practitioners will complete their tasks independently of AI processes	Individual interventions OD practitioners will lead using AI as a tool	Individual interventions OD practitioners will share decision-making with AI in a project	Individual interventions OD practitioners will be replaced by AI	Individual interventions Are you aware of an AI application on this level already? Please include example in the comment box
Interpersonal interventions	Interpersonal interventions OD practitioners will complete their tasks independently of AI processes	Interpersonal interventions OD practitioners will lead using AI as a tool	Interpersonal interventions OD practitioners will share decision-making with AI in a project	Interpersonal interventions OD practitioners will be replaced by AI	Interpersonal interventions Are you aware of an AI application on this level already? Please include example in the comment box
Group interventions	Group interventions OD practitioners will complete their tasks independently of AI processes	Group interventions OD practitioners will lead using AI as a tool	Group interventions OD practitioners will share decision-making with AI in a project	Group interventions OD practitioners will be replaced by AI	Group interventions Are you aware of an AI application on this level already? Please include example in the comment box
Intergroup interventions	Intergroup interventions OD practitioners will complete their tasks independently of AI processes	Intergroup interventions OD practitioners will lead using AI as a tool	Intergroup interventions OD practitioners will share decision-making with AI in a project	Intergroup interventions OD practitioners will be replaced by AI	Intergroup interventions Are you aware of an AI application on this level already? Please include example in the comment box
Organisational interventions	Organisational interventions OD practitioners will complete their tasks independently of AI processes	Organisational interventions OD practitioners will lead using AI as a tool	Organisational interventions OD practitioners will share decision-making with AI in a project	Organisational interventions OD practitioners will be replaced by AI	Organisational interventions Are you aware of an AI application on this level already? Please include example in the comment box
Total system interventions	Total system interventions OD practitioners will complete their tasks independently of AI processes	Total system interventions OD practitioners will lead using AI as a tool	Total system interventions OD practitioners will share decision-making with AI in a project	Total system interventions OD practitioners will be replaced by AI	Total system interventions Are you aware of an AI application on this level already? Please include example in the comment box

Comments

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* 21. What are the conditions for OD practitioners to have a Win Win scenario working with AI technologies?

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* 22. What is the human process that we should never hand to an AI technology?

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* 23. What is your feeling about the role AI is taking in OD and manging change?

I don't have a clue

I can't decide

Excited for the future

Clear

i We adjusted the number you entered based on the slider’s scale.