Generative AI, Emerging Technology, and Organizing: Towards a theory of progressive encapsulation

Generative AI is upon us and is changing organizations and organizing. In this essay, we extend the relational perspective on technology, which argues for moving away from an entity-based view of technology to one that focuses instead on the evolving relations and functions between people, technologies, and organizations. We do so by introducing the concept of “progressive encapsulation” which captures GenAI’s potential ability to increasingly expand the “black box” and reduce visibility into and control over the relations and functions performed. We argue that progressive encapsulation is critical in our theorizing about GenAI. As an illustration and thought experiment we consider how GenAI and progressive encapsulation may necessitate changes in our theorizing about groups and teams in organizations.