Kilian Wenker

Kilian Wenker

AI-mediated communication is designed to help us do our work more quickly and efficiently. But does it come at a cost? This study uses smart replies (SRs) to show how AI influences humans without any intent on the part of the developer - the very use of AI is sufficient. I propose a loss of agency theory as a viable approach for studying the impact of AI on human agency. This theory focusses on the transfer of agency that is forced by circumstances (such as time pressure), human weaknesses (such as complacency), and conceptual priming. Mixed methods involving a crowdsourced experiment test that theory. The quantitative results reveal that machine agency affects the content we author and the behavior we generate. But it is a non-zero-sum game. The transfers between human and machine agency are fluid; they complement, replace, and reinforce each other at the same time.

Kilian Wenker

Employees face decisions every day - in the absence of supervision. The outcome of these decisions can be influenced by digital workplace design through the power of persuasive technology. This paper provides a structured literature review based on recent research on persuasive technology in the workplace. It examines the design and use of persuasive systems from a variety of disciplinary perspectives and theories. The reviewed studies were categorized into the research streams of technology design, user-centered research, and gamification. The purpose of the studies is categorized using a modified definition of the persuasive systems design model. A number of experimental studies show that alignment of the employee's behavior with the employer's agenda can be achieved. A robust finding is the key role of interactivity in granting employees a subjective experience of rapid and meaningful feedback when using the interface.