The Dr. Theo and Friedl Schöller Research Lab “Future of Work” was represented at the 21st International Conference on Wirtschaftsinformatik (WI 2026) in Linz. During the conference, Timo Mayer presented research conducted in the context of the research lab, addressing the question of how organizations can support the introduction and sustainable use of Generative Artificial Intelligence.
The paper “Designing and Evaluating the GenAI Champion Role for SMEs”, co-authored with Tim-Julian Schwehn, focuses on the role of so-called GenAI Champions. These are employees who can support the adoption of Generative AI within an organization by sharing knowledge, identifying potential use cases, supporting colleagues, and acting as an interface between employees, technology, and organizational structures.
For small and medium-sized enterprises in particular, an important question is how such a role should be designed in practice. Limited financial and human resources, heterogeneous levels of knowledge, and the absence of established structures for dealing with emerging AI technologies can make the adoption of Generative AI particularly challenging. At the same time, GenAI Champions can help organizations consolidate internal knowledge, support employees in using new technologies, and facilitate the identification and development of suitable applications.
The research addresses these challenges through a design-oriented research approach, aiming to develop and evaluate concrete and actionable guidelines for the design of GenAI Champion roles in SMEs. In doing so, the study seeks to better understand which tasks, competencies, and organizational conditions are required for GenAI Champions to effectively support the organizational adoption of Generative AI.
Presenting the research at WI 2026 provided an opportunity to discuss these findings with researchers from the Information Systems community and to gain new perspectives on the design of digital and AI-driven transformation in organizations. The study thereby contributes directly to the core mission of the Dr. Theo and Friedl Schöller Research Lab “Future of Work”: generating scientific insights into current transformations of the workplace and translating them into knowledge that can support organizational practice.