Sub-Plenary 1-2

Artificial Intelligence as an Epistemological Disruption: Rethinking Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice in the Era of Artificial Creativity

Chair:
Stratos Ramoglou, University of Bristol, United Kingdom

Panelists:
Aleksandra Kacperczyk, London Business School, United Kingdom
Ewald Kibler, Aalto University, Finland
Christina Lubinski, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark
Erik Lundmark, Macquarie University, Australia
David M. Townsend, Virginia Polytechnic, USA
 

The core premise of this sub-plenary is that the astonishing developments in AI do not only trigger an unprecedent technological disruption. They should further be received as a much-needed epistemological disruption. For AI makes even the seemingly most unassailable truisms about entrepreneurship appear less secure.
 
First, even if we concede that entrepreneurs are unusually creative and alert, technological advances force us to rethink the centrality of such (presumably) scarce traits. Impressive advances in Generative AI suggest that human forms of creativity may not be able to meaningfully compete with artificial forms of creativity. This means that AI advances have the potential to democratize entrepreneurship, by eliminating any barriers between entrepreneurs and the (supposedly) less gifted segments of the population.
 
Second, it is not that certain that entrepreneurship is as uncertain as we previously thought. Given the tremendous knowledge-extending potential of AI systems, knowledge problems that were previously problems of unknowability (due to limited information or computational capabilities) gradually transform into problems of ignorance – that is, epistemological riddles with unknown yet knowable answers. This means that new technologies do not only help eliminate any creativity barriers between entrepreneurs and nonentrepreneurs. It is also the very nature of entrepreneurial work that is changing shape.
 
Of course, the AI disruption does not only bring positive changes. It is unlikely that all actors, stakeholders, and organizations will benefit from seismic technological disruptions – not to mention the burning questions concerning environmental sustainability and social progress. In fact, even the positive changes will bring new challenges of their own. It is not clear what new dynamics may emerge in a world in which creativity and knowledge are no longer scarce resources. What will be the critical resources whose scarcity prevents anyone from entering the entrepreneurial arena?
 
Overall, how should we rethink entrepreneurship given this technologically induced epistemological disruption?
 
Although this sub-plenary’s entry point of problematization is “entrepreneurship in the AI era”, our discussions will be broader. For, this session works on the provocative assumption that, perhaps, some of our most cherished assumptions may not be that well-grounded on the realities of entrepreneurship, but may instead be reflections of conventional – largely untransparent – modes of thoughts into which we have immersed ourselves. It is against this intellectual backdrop that we use AI as a powerful reminder of the need to revisit the very foundations of our scholarship. In other words, the core premise of our discussion is that AI only abruptly forces us to appreciate that we can no longer be complacent about our cherished beliefs and assumptions.
 
The sub-plenary’s format includes an introduction by the Chair (5 minutes); presentations by panelists and the Chair (60 minutes in total); and a moderated discussion between the panelists and the audience (25 minutes).