Paper Number
ICIS2025-2126
Paper Type
Complete
Abstract
Artificial agents, such as bots, are increasingly embedded in digital collaboration platforms. Yet, little is known about how humans respond when these agents cause disruptions. In this study, we examine how ‘rogue bots’ affect human cognitive tasks in collaborative digital environments. Addressing a key gap in research on human–technology interaction, we ask: How are human cognitive tasks affected by rogue bots? We exploit a natural experiment on GitHub involving a rogue bot attack and apply a difference-in-differences approach on matched panel data. We find that rogue bots increase productivity, discourse, and creativity in tasks. Further, project ownership (nature and tenure) moderates adaptation to such disruptions. These findings reveal how algorithmic disruptions reshape human effort and coordination in socio-technical systems. We contribute to IS research through an expansion of Interruption Theory, Conservation of Resources Theory, and Complex Adaptive Systems Theory in the context of how humans react when bots go rogue.
Recommended Citation
Thummadi, Babu Veeresh; Chaturvedi, Devina; and Kathuria, Abhishek, "When Bots Go Rogue: Disruptions and Adaptations in Human Cognitive Tasks" (2025). ICIS 2025 Proceedings. 23.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/icis2025/hti/hti/23
When Bots Go Rogue: Disruptions and Adaptations in Human Cognitive Tasks
Artificial agents, such as bots, are increasingly embedded in digital collaboration platforms. Yet, little is known about how humans respond when these agents cause disruptions. In this study, we examine how ‘rogue bots’ affect human cognitive tasks in collaborative digital environments. Addressing a key gap in research on human–technology interaction, we ask: How are human cognitive tasks affected by rogue bots? We exploit a natural experiment on GitHub involving a rogue bot attack and apply a difference-in-differences approach on matched panel data. We find that rogue bots increase productivity, discourse, and creativity in tasks. Further, project ownership (nature and tenure) moderates adaptation to such disruptions. These findings reveal how algorithmic disruptions reshape human effort and coordination in socio-technical systems. We contribute to IS research through an expansion of Interruption Theory, Conservation of Resources Theory, and Complex Adaptive Systems Theory in the context of how humans react when bots go rogue.
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