STAGES: A model for responsible deployment of artificial intelligence

Abstract The accelerated deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) at an unprecedented pace leads to new opportunities and risks for organisations and their ecosystem. To support management and regulatory efforts with a deeper understanding of responsible conduct, this study addresses a salient research gap by developing a new theoretical model to describe the tenets of responsible deployment of AI. Applied through a grounded theory approach, existing adoption and integration practices are explored by drawing on literature studies and semi-structured interviews with 17 participants with professional experience with AI in an international context. Themes are synthesised through the Gioia technique. The theoretical model is underpinned by an objective-execution-outcome structure and described by the mnemonic STAGES. The contribution of the study is a new theoretical model to explain and encourage responsible deployment of AI, and explicate which elements organisations should consider when designing internal policies, and to further inform decision-making by management, and regulatory efforts.