Organizational tensions in the introduction of socially sustainable AI

Introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) technology is expected to have diverse social and organizational implications. It is a generic technology, which development will intertwine practically with all the aspects of organizational life. The implementation of new, complex technology together with the increasing social complexity of operating environment, as well as social and environmental challenges generate often conflicting requirements and dilemmas in organizations. One of the major questions is “how do we implement AI in socially, environmentally and economically sustainable way”. In this paper, we study organizational tensions in public organizations, which plan to use or have already experimented AI. We analyse interviews with AI development specialists from 36 Finnish organisations. On this basis, we reflect AI related tensions with general organizational tensions. Challenges and tensions may relate, e.g. to such questions as how detailed and transparent information stakeholders should have of AI, and how AI ethics related questions should be administered and measured as part of the existing corporate social responsibility schemes. Tensions also emerge when individuals operate between new and traditional methods and technologies. Ethical AI principles are also subject to various interpretations creating ground for tensions. By identifying and understanding AI related tensions, organizations may implement AI in more acceptable and desirable way, but also learn of AI´s positive and negative social, environmental and economic impacts affecting sustainable uptake of AI