Employees’ Sensemaking Processes in Service Robot Deployment and Use

The automation of tasks through AI-enabled technologies is of considerable practical and theoretical significance. Research into service robot-driven automation exposes a variety of interpretations from employees both within and across different workplaces. Understanding by users is crucial yet complex for the successful deployment and interaction with such technologies. In our study, we apply Weick’s enactment theory to examine how employees make sense of a service robot in their work environment. By analyzing 22 interviews, we constructed a process model illustrating how ambiguity triggers the sensemaking process before and during deployment, elucidating how cues are enacted and consolidated into shared understandings that are retained for future application. Our findings provide valuable insights for practitioners by underscoring how the anticipated operational benefits of task automation with service robots intersect with social dynamics and uncertainties. We contribute to the literature on IS and human-robot interaction by revealing how employees perceive service robots in everyday settings.