Practicing Organization Development, 5th Edition

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHTOrganization Development & Change in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

Steven H. Cady and William A. Pasmore

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) reshapes workplaces, it presents a dual opportunity for the field of Organization Development and Change (ODC): organizations must cultivate uniquely human capabilities to thrive alongside AI, while ODC practitioners can harness AI to enhance their work in transforming organizations, revitalizing communities, and developing human potential. This chapter explores both facets—the “AI Imperative for ODC,” which demands human skill development, and the evolution of “Intelligent ODC” through AI integration—and concludes with actionable insights for navigating this new frontier.

TOWARD MORE THOUGHTFUL WORK

The case for human-centered AI integration is reinforced by neuroscience, the study of the brain. For more than two centuries, organizations have been influenced by industrial education models that emphasize normalizing highly routinized work, which relies on what neuroscience refers to as “crystallized intelligence.” This form of intelligence is located in the back region of the brain and is mostly developed during childhood. Such routinized environments foster a reliance on predictable tasks and diminish the use of creative, adaptive thinking. The unintended consequences of industrial-era education and subsequent management practices have become increasingly detrimental in an AI-driven world, with measurable impacts ...