Paper Number
ECIS2026-1206
Paper Type
CRP
Abstract
As generative AI (Gen-AI) changes information and content workflows, organizations must strike a balance between the needs of accountability and speed. This study investigates how advertising firms manage the use of Gen-AI in a volatile economy without compromising authenticity or trust. Using qualitative data from 33 participants, Dynamic Capabilities Theory applies to investigate how two complimentary capabilities, AI Governance and Cultural Adaptation, condition AI-enabled sensing, seizing, and changing. Theoretically, the crisis context amplifies Gen-AI for marketing demands since it is a revelatory setting. The findings show how governance and cultural adaptation convert exploratory speed into speed with fit. This logic does not rely on AI being always free; in cases where Gen-AI yields good relative ROI in reduction, localization, and prototyping, the mechanism persists despite price increases. The paper claims that by bolstering the innovation infrastructure and developing more resilient work designs, these practices can contribute to SDGs 8 and 9.
Recommended Citation
El Rassi, Mary Ann Barbour, "Speed With Fit: Gen-AI, Governance, and The Transformation Of Creative Work Under Crisis" (2026). ECIS 2026 Proceedings. 1.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/ecis2026/genai/genai/1
Speed With Fit: Gen-AI, Governance, and The Transformation Of Creative Work Under Crisis
As generative AI (Gen-AI) changes information and content workflows, organizations must strike a balance between the needs of accountability and speed. This study investigates how advertising firms manage the use of Gen-AI in a volatile economy without compromising authenticity or trust. Using qualitative data from 33 participants, Dynamic Capabilities Theory applies to investigate how two complimentary capabilities, AI Governance and Cultural Adaptation, condition AI-enabled sensing, seizing, and changing. Theoretically, the crisis context amplifies Gen-AI for marketing demands since it is a revelatory setting. The findings show how governance and cultural adaptation convert exploratory speed into speed with fit. This logic does not rely on AI being always free; in cases where Gen-AI yields good relative ROI in reduction, localization, and prototyping, the mechanism persists despite price increases. The paper claims that by bolstering the innovation infrastructure and developing more resilient work designs, these practices can contribute to SDGs 8 and 9.
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