Managing Artificial Intelligence Systems for Value Co-creation:The Case of Conversational Agents and Natural Language Assistants

Conversational agents (CAs) are a form of artificial intelligence that is increasingly used to support and automate service encounters. CAs are cost-effective service actors which enable new forms of service provisioning and value co-creation scenarios. Despite their potential, organizations struggle to leverage the potential of CAs in real-life settings. We analyze the nascent literature and give insights from a design science research (DSR) project on the implementation of CAs in a service setting to identify challenges in the design, implementation, and operation of CAs in service systems. Using the lens of a multilevel framework for service systems, we present insights on how CAs can be designed and managed for value co-creation.