Paper Type

ERF

Abstract

As Generative AI shifts from passive tools to autonomous, agentic systems, its organizational value increasingly depends on whether people are willing to delegate decisions to it. Rather than focusing only on technical capability, this study argues that delegation is a decision made under uncertainty, shaped by how users perceive the AI and the risks involved. We employ a 2 × 2 between-subjects experiment manipulating CA role (specialist vs. generalist) and outcome risk framing (gain vs. loss) within a phishing-detection task. Using perceived social presence as the central psychological mechanism, we examine the conditions under which users cede authority to AI. This study anticipates extending IS delegation research by shifting focus from objective accuracy to the interactional and contextual cues that shape delegation willingness, offering guidance for designers and leaders seeking to optimize human-AI collaboration through strategic role-based framing.

Paper Number

1553

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Aug 15th, 12:00 AM

Delegation to Conversational Agents: The Role of Expertise and Outcome Framing

As Generative AI shifts from passive tools to autonomous, agentic systems, its organizational value increasingly depends on whether people are willing to delegate decisions to it. Rather than focusing only on technical capability, this study argues that delegation is a decision made under uncertainty, shaped by how users perceive the AI and the risks involved. We employ a 2 × 2 between-subjects experiment manipulating CA role (specialist vs. generalist) and outcome risk framing (gain vs. loss) within a phishing-detection task. Using perceived social presence as the central psychological mechanism, we examine the conditions under which users cede authority to AI. This study anticipates extending IS delegation research by shifting focus from objective accuracy to the interactional and contextual cues that shape delegation willingness, offering guidance for designers and leaders seeking to optimize human-AI collaboration through strategic role-based framing.