ABSTRACT. This paper examines the rise of “relationship AI” systems—chatbots and companion technologies designed to simulate intimacy, emotional support and social connection. Analysing these products from a political economy perspective, it demonstrates how relationship AI can exploit the loneliness and vulnerability of certain users by design choices that seek to maximise engagement. It theorises the concept of the engagement–wellbeing paradox to describe a key tension within the business model of these products: while marketed as sources of meaningful connection, some of these AIs are designed to deepen user dependence, often at the expense of their wellbeing. Drawing on emerging empirical cases, the paper analyses how users negotiate, resist, or internalise these dynamics. It concludes by outlining the ethical and regulatory challenges posed by relationship AI, and what more just and humane alternatives might look like in the future.

ABSTRACT. This literature review provides a critical analysis investigating whether blockchain-based incentivised learning platforms truly empower learners or take advantage of their contributions in the realm of digital education. Through a narrative analysis we have identified three key themes: challenges associated with online education, justifications for incorporating blockchain in education, and the effects of tokenisation in the Information Systems (IS) and Information Management (IM) domains. Although blockchain provides decentralisation, transparency, and learn-and-earn models that hold the potential for financial inclusion and participatory governance, notable gaps remain in terms of the distribution of value and its alignment with student preferences. Token-based methods, such as learn-to-earn systems, have the potential to enhance engagement in learning. However, they also pose the danger of commodifying education and prioritising external rewards over intrinsic motivation. This review promotes a collaborative approach that integrates educational theory, governance structures, and socio-economic elements to ensure fair and sustainable blockchain-supported education.

ABSTRACT. With the diffusion of digital technologies, organisations are exploring innovative business models based on inter-organisational data sharing collaborations. This study explores the key aspects that position data spaces a sustainable choice for inter-organizational data sharing compared to traditional data sharing ecosystems. The research is designed in two-phases. In the first phase, a comprehensive secondary analysis of data space initiatives, use cases, and authoritative sources (DSSC, GAIA_X, IDSA) is conducted to identify the core value propositions of Data Spaces. In the second phase, data spaces are compared with alternative data sharing ecosystems including data marketplaces, data commons, consortia etc, to evaluate the business models that data spaces enables and support. The findings will provide an actionable insights for both organisations and orchestrators to design innovative business models and incentive mechanisms to align multi-stakeholder business objectives for sustainable data sharing in data spaces.

ABSTRACT. This paper challenges the foundational assumption that AI can be ethical. Drawing on Habermas's critical theory of rationality, we argue that AI's operational logic is structurally incompatible with ethical understanding. AI systems embody pure instrumental rationality and cannot engage in the communicative processes through which ethical validity is established. Empirical research reveals consistent patterns: AI recommendations colonise human judgement, humans selectively defer to algorithmic outputs in ways that amplify discrimination, and AI's temporal dynamics pre-empt deliberative space. These patterns reflect not implementation failures but AI's constitutive nature as optimisation machinery. The paper provides theoretical explanation for the persistent principle-practice gap in AI ethics, responding to calls for foundational theory in information systems research. It reframes the research agenda from embedding ethics in AI towards preserving communicative rationality in AI-augmented contexts.

ABSTRACT. As intelligent technologies increasingly drive the digital economy, issues of trust, security, and equity have become critical to sustainable digital transformation. Despite substantial investments in technical safeguards, ongoing digital exclusion creates systemic vulnerabilities that undermine global cybersecurity. Marginalised groups lacking access to secure identities, privacy protections, and digital literacy face greater risks of fraud, surveillance, and algorithmic bias. This paper contends that digital exclusion constitutes a cybersecurity threat and positions inclusion as a fundamental security imperative. Drawing on insights from Responsible AI, digital governance, and financial inclusion, it proposes an Inclusive Cybersecurity Framework built on three pillars: technological safeguards (AI-driven threat detection and privacy-enhancing tools), regulatory innovation (adaptive RegTech and AI-enabled oversight), and social inclusion (equitable digital identity and participatory trust mechanisms). Through comparative cases, the paper redefines inclusion as central to resilience and trust, aligning with UKAIS vision of intelligent technologies fostering accountability, justice, and sustainable protection for all

ABSTRACT. Robo-traders are increasingly accessible to retail investors, yet consumer adoption remains inconsistent despite rapid technological advancement. Unlike robo-advisors, which support long-term portfolio management, robo-traders operate with high autonomy and speed, introducing distinct behavioural and ethical challenges related to trust, transparency, perceived financial risk, and algorithm aversion. This paper develops a conceptual framework for responsible consumer adoption of robo-traders by integrating the Stimulus–Organism–Response (S–O–R) model, Trust, and Value Sensitive Design (VSD). Drawing on interdisciplinary literature and real-world user reviews from platforms such as TradeSanta, Pionex, and 3Commas, the framework outlines how ethical and functional design features (Stimuli) shape cognitive and emotional (Organism), which in turn influence behavioural outcomes such as trial use, sustained engagement, adaptive learning, withdrawal, or cautious responsible participation (Response). The framework emphasises that responsible adoption requires more than technological performance.

ABSTRACT. Recent studies have underscored the pivotal role of employees in supporting digital transformation (DT) success. However, despite growing interest, the foundational elements of workforce transformation remain underexplored, leaving critical questions unanswered. Our paper seeks to address this gap by theorising core pillars of workforce transformation from existing literature and examining their interrelationships in the context of successful DT. Through an inductive analysis of 73 empirical studies, we identify six key elements: (i) digital fluency, (ii) transformational leadership, (iii) worker agency, (iv) innovation culture, (v) collaborative foresight, and (vi) connected workspaces. We then map the interconnections among these pillars within DT processes, positioning transformational leadership at the heart of workforce transformation. The paper concludes by proposing future directions informed by our findings and critical research gaps.

ABSTRACT. AI chatbots are increasingly used in public-facing services, yet their role in emotionally sensitive contexts raises concerns around trust, privacy and the appropriateness of AI-mediated support. This study investigates how individuals evaluate such systems, using cyberstalking as an illustrative setting where emotional vulnerability and ethical expectations are heightened. A mixed-methods design was employed, combining a survey (n = 43) measuring trust, privacy and perceived usefulness with qualitative interviews exploring expectations of empathy, emotional safety and data governance. Quantitative results show that privacy concerns reduce both trust and usefulness, while trust strongly predicts usefulness. Qualitative findings emphasise the importance of emotional authenticity and organisational responsibility in shaping user judgement. Integrating these insights, the paper presents a conceptual model explaining how trust, privacy and usefulness interact with contextual risk to influence attitudes toward AI support. The study advances ISOS discourse by highlighting relational and ethical determinants of AI acceptance.

ABSTRACT. Digitalisation has transformed how services are accessed, yet users vary greatly in both their skills and motivation to engage with digital systems. This study examines how users’ digital ability and digital willingness influence the adoption and sustained use of digitalised services. Existing technology adoption models treat user ability and willingness as sequential; this study proposes an interdependent model. Drawing on semi-structured interview of 40 users of digitalised transportation services in Wiltshire, UK to answer questions regarding how ability and willingness influence each other and the use of digitalised services. Our findings suggest that ability and willingness are multifaceted and the relationship between them is rather complex and emergent. Further we categorise users into 9 archetypes based on user ability and willingness. The 9 archetypes provide a practical framework for developing targeted interventions for improving user-centred digital inclusion strategies. We discussed the implications of our findings.

ABSTRACT. There has been an emergence of data marketplaces to facilitate trading of data. These data marketplaces offer features akin to those found in online marketplaces such as matching buyers and sellers and enabling financial transactions. The implementation of efficient data trading processes on data marketplaces is hindered by the intrinsic challenges associated with pricing data assets. Furthermore, the price offered by a seller should be commensurate with the quality and utility of data received by buyer. In this paper, we explore how dynamic updates in pricing can help in maximizing revenue on a data marketplace.

ABSTRACT. This systematic review examines Information Systems literature on biometric technologies, by focusing on the end user’s perspective of privacy, trust and acceptance. Biometrics, by relying on unique physiological and behavioural traits, enhance efficiency, convenience and security. However, at the same time, they raise concerns about surveillance, data permanence, cultural differences, and ethical implications, particularly as applications expand beyond authentication to areas like stress monitoring and affect detection. Such concerns become even more pronounced within the context of immersive environments, because the use of biometrics becomes mandatory for users’ participation. The analysis reveals that user acceptance of biometric systems is not solely determined by technical accuracy but emerges from broader socio-ethical considerations. Our findings call for future research that includes cross-cultural and longitudinal studies, explores non-adoption, and investigates biometric data use in immersive contexts. In doing so, it highlights the socio-technical and ethical dynamics shaping biometric adoption.

ABSTRACT. This study explores how developers, marketers and regulators understand the ethical and regulatory challenges that are emerging in metaverse marketing. As immersive environments grow they create new possibilities for digital engagement but also raise concerns around privacy, manipulation and platform governance. To capture these perspectives we conducted semi-structured interviews with 18 participants across the three stakeholder groups and analysed the data thematically. The findings show clear differences in priorities: developers focus on technical feasibility and clearer guidance marketers stress creative opportunities and brand safety, whereas regulators emphasize user protection and the enforcement of existing laws. While all agree that trust and safety are essential they still diverge on acceptable data use and the role of regulation. The study features the need for collaborative governance approaches within the evolving metaverse ecosystem.

ABSTRACT. Nowadays, the use of AI has become essential for enhancing adaptability and efficiency. This study contributes to this objective by proposing an agentic AI system based on a Low Code and No Code (LCNC) approach for personalised intelligent workflow management. The developed agentic AI integrates Large Language Models (LLMs) with personalised diary tools using a low-code development platform, enabling intelligent workflow management and task creation through visual interfaces. The system consolidates user tasks from multiple platforms into a single interface. Leveraging LLM-based reasoning capabilities, it detects scheduling conflicts, evaluates contextual factors such as urgency and priority, and autonomously selects appropriate actions without requiring manual intervention. The use of a LCNC platform simplifies system development and improves accessibility for non-technical users, bridging the gap between personalised user needs and technical execution. Preliminary results indicate that the proposed system can accurately handle diverse scheduling scenarios and make human-like decisions in real-world contexts.

ABSTRACT. Artificial Intelligence (AI) presents opportunities for philanthropy, but adoption remains constrained by ethical sensitivities, resource limitations, and mission-driven commitments. Existing frameworks such as TAM, UTAUT, and HOT-Fit lack the specificity required to capture the ethical, governance and legitimacy challenges of this sector. This study adapts the Technology–Organisation–Environment (TOE) framework, enriched by the Context–Input–Process–Product (CIPP) model, to examine responsible AI adoption in philanthropic organisations. Drawing on fourteen semi-structured interviews with philanthropy leaders and AI practitioners, the findings reveal how technological barriers such as poor data quality and interoperability intersect with organisational challenges of cultural readiness, leadership, and ethical oversight, and environmental pressures of regulation, donor expectations, and reputational risk. The adapted TOE+CIPP framework highlights that trust, accountability, and mission alignment are as decisive as technical readiness. The study contributes theoretical extensions to IS adoption research and practical insights for mission-driven, resource-constrained sectors navigating responsible and sustainable AI adoption.

ABSTRACT. AI technologies are increasingly used in UK policing to enhance decision-making, resource allocation, and crime prediction. However, their adoption disrupts traditional police work by altering task design, performance and management. Broadly, the meaningfulness of work, a key professional and personal value, remains underexplored in the context of AI integration within policing. As AI becomes more embedded in UK policing, it is essential to understand how it reshapes the meaning of police work. Using a Social Shaping of Technology (SST) perspective, this research explores how the meaning of work is evolving for UK police officers, the factors influencing their experiences, and the challenges they face. Through qualitative interviews and secondary archival data, this study aims to inform policymakers about AI-driven changes in policing, exploring the opportunities and ethical implications for meaningful police work.

ABSTRACT. As artificial intelligence integrates into the workforce, new frameworks for human-AI collaboration are essential. We examine a crucial inquiry: How can specialists effectively assign high-stakes responsibilities to developing AI agents? We present the Dynamic Delegation Boundary Framework, a contingency model predicated on AI epistemic uncertainty and task criticality. This tool implements contemporary delegation theories (Baird & Maruping, 2021; Afiouni & Pinsonneault, 2025) via a two-phase formal model that integrates decision theory with Q-learning. In clinical coding assessments with a customized LLM, our HAIC system demonstrated substantial enhancements: an F1-score of 0.82 compared to 0.74 (p<0.001), a 45% reduction in effort, and a 37% decrease in cognitive burden (d=1.45). The optimal delegation threshold converged at θ*=0.75, whereas Q-learning refinement approached θ≈0.72. This research presents (1) a contingency theory for human-AI delegation, (2) a formal governance model, and (3) a methodology for delegation tweaking as an alternative to algorithmic control.

ABSTRACT. Digital messaging platforms have become essential infrastructure for collaborative project work, yet we lack systematic understanding of how students use language performatively to coordinate tasks in these spaces. Whilst studies have examined social media usage patterns, few apply robust theoretical frameworks to analyse the communicative intentions in project-based messaging. This paper addresses this gap by investigating speech acts, i.e., the performative dimensions of language, in student group communication across different project stages. Through vignette-based analysis of 204 university students' responses, we demonstrate that speech act patterns: directives, expressives, commissives, and assertives, vary significantly by project stage rather than by demographic factors such as gender, age, or discipline. Students strategically adapt their communicative intentions—requesting, apologising, committing, or asserting—based on task context rather than personal characteristics. These findings advance Speech Acts theory in digital contexts and offer practical implications for supporting effective collaboration in educational and professional settings through contextually appropriate communication.

ABSTRACT. The rise of social media has redefined entrepreneurial communication from static storytelling to dynamic and participatory storyliving. Young entrepreneurs increasingly share time-bound business challenges, e.g., a 30-day or 60-day startup challenge, inviting audiences to co-experience their ventures in real time. By integrating theories of narrative transportation and parasocial interaction, this paper introduces the concept of storyliving entrepreneurship, a process where narrative immersion transforms audiences from passive viewers into active participants in the entrepreneurial identity construction journey. This working paper investigates (1) why entrepreneurs adopt this approach; (2) which narrative appeals and content styles yield higher engagement; (3) why and how audiences participate and what motivates them; and (4) whether and how such engagement fosters entrepreneurial inspiration. A three‐study mixed‐methods design is proposed: (i) content analysis of entrepreneurial challenge pages/accounts, (ii) qualitative interviews with entrepreneurs to explore motives and success criteria, and (iii) quantitative survey/experiment with followers and other audience segments.

ABSTRACT. Digital news has undergone profound transformation, yet much research continues to treat it as content delivered through digital channels rather than as an entity reshaped by digital materiality itself. Building on theories of digital objects and IT artifacts, this paper argues that news in contemporary environments has undergone an ontological shift: it no longer exists as a stable, bounded product but as a modular, editable, interactive, and distributed digital object. Synthesizing insights from information systems, digital media, and journalism studies, we develop the concept of the Digital News Object (DNO) and articulate its constitutive properties, lifecycle, and socio-technical embeddedness. We demonstrate how digital infrastructures, algorithmic processes, and audience practices co-produce the form, identity, and meaning of news as it circulates across platforms. By offering an ontological framework grounded in digital object theory, the paper advances a unified conceptual account of digital news ecosystems.

ABSTRACT. Personalised learning (PL) has been vital in tailoring the learning process to the needs and characteristics of individual learners, thereby enhancing their learning experiences. However, implementing PL remains challenging due to its complexity and the challenges of its design. This challenge is evident in African Open and Distance Learning (ODL) contexts, where guidelines and implementation strategies are limited. To address this gap, this study presents a framework to guide the design of PL within African ODL institutions, by providing a novel, context-specific solution where such guidance has been lacking. Using a design science research approach, the artifact was developed through literature synthesis and iteratively refined through expert reviews conducted within the ODL environment. The proposed framework outlines key personalisation processes based on defined components, elements and their relationships, reflecting ODL contextual realities. The framework caters for the diverse needs of African distance learners to enhance their online learning experiences.

ABSTRACT. Summative assessments, particularly written exams, remain the most common method of evaluating performance. Although feedback is essential for learning, students often receive no due to lecturers’ time limitations. To address this issue, we employed a design science research approach to identify objectives and design a system based on an automated feedback system described in the literature and extended with generative AI. The system uses a single structured prompt template that enables consistent text generation, speeds up setup, and minimises issues such as prompting demands, hallucinations, and bias. Bias is reduced by excluding student-specific data, and hallucinations are counteracted by review by the lecturer. Bloom’s taxonomy personalises feedback without disclosing the exam. The system guides lecturers through targeted questions answered in bullet points, which are synthesised into comments aligned with components of learner-centred feedback. Three lecturers used the system in three exams, demonstrating its capability to support learner-centred feedback generation.

ABSTRACT. The current paper presents developmental research that draws on the meaningful and responsible perspectives with the aim to explore ways for promoting gender diversity in the cybersecurity profession in the UK. The study is positioned within an increasingly complex cyber threat landscape due to undetectable threats, growing use of AI and ongoing geopolitical conflicts and an increasing need for organisations to strengthen their cyber resilience as well as expand their cybersecurity skillset and workforce. The empirical study draws on qualitative research methods and the use of semi-structured interviews with female cybersecurity professionals. The study seeks to advance theory in the field of responsible cybersecurity by integrating inclusivity and meaningful work as well as to inform practitioners and policymakers of effective practices and strategies that could increase inclusivity and diversity in the sector.

ABSTRACT. Intelligent technologies are redesigning organisational processes, particularly employee onboarding processes. While smart technologies may provide efficiency, their integration into workplaces with a high context culture, characterised by the importance of interpersonal interaction, personal communication, and social values, raises questions. This research in progress explores how intelligent technologies used for onboarding align with the cultural expectations of young Saudis, who are ‘digital natives’ and start integrating into the workplace. A qualitative case study of an onboarding App (Hayyak) was performed at a leading telecoms company. Data were collected from 25 semi-structured interviews with new hires, HR professionals, and managers, alongside document analysis. Initial findings revealed a tension between the efficiency of using smart technologies and the need for human-centred experiences. While participants praised the ease of access, they also noted a decrease in opportunities for mentoring, socialising, and cultural guidance, which are crucial in high-context cultures.

ABSTRACT. The metaverse ecosystem presents new governance challenges for public institutions, whose mandates for transparency and accountability often conflict with the technology’s anonymity and borderlessness. This paper examines how public sector actors conceptualise effective metaverse governance and how their governance requisites align or collide with platform design. Drawing on interviews with officials and document analysis across three public sectors, the study applies the Social Construction of Technology (SCOT) to analyse how governance requisites, technological characteristics, and actor interpretations evolve in parallel. Findings reveal compliance tensions between public sector governance requisites (identity verification, clear jurisdiction, regulatory alignment), and metaverse characteristics (anonymity, borderlessness). The study provides early empirical insights into public sector entry to the metaverse and offers implications for developing multi-stakeholder governance approaches.

ABSTRACT. This research-in-progress paper explores how students’ experience of using the metaverse through virtual reality (VR) headsets in higher education (HE) influences expectation–disconfirmation and how this, in turn, shapes their satisfaction, engagement, and continuance intention. Despite numerous studies on VR in HE, little is known about what expectations students hold for metaverse-based learning, whether those expectations are met, how satisfied and engaged students feel after using the metaverse, and how these factors influence their continued use. To address this gap, the paper extends the multi-motive information systems continuance (MISC) framework by incorporating new pre-usage expectations (social influence, facilitating conditions, and IT self-efficacy) and post-usage outcomes (satisfaction and engagement). This theoretical extension advances IS continuance theory into immersive, multi-sensory educational contexts and provides the foundation for a mixed-method empirical study.

ABSTRACT. As digital transformation accelerates, almost 8 million UK adults remain locked out of essential services due to a lack of basic digital skills, how do we ensure that technology acts as a bridge rather than a barrier? We will explore the real world challenges of digital exclusion, surfacing the web of poverty, fear, mistrust and lack of skills and confidence that keep many people from engaging in the digital world. But with these challenges come great opportunities. From local community led interventions to designing responsible and inclusive technology solutions we will explore where opportunity lies and how we can embed digital accessibility in by design to ensure that digital access is an enabler of opportunity, independance and equality.