[{"publication":"Journal of Service Management","type":"journal_article","abstract":[{"text":"Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify, analyze, and explain the implications that could\r\narise for service settings if AI systems develop, or are perceived to develop, consciousness – the\r\nability to acknowledge their own existence and the capacity for positive or negative experiences.\r\n\r\nDesign/methodology/approach: This study proposes and explores four hypothetical scenarios in\r\nwhich conscious AI in service could manifest. We contextualize our resulting typology in the\r\nhealth service context and integrate extant literature on technology-enabled service, AI\r\nconsciousness, and AI ethics into the narrative.\r\n\r\nFindings: This study provides a unique theoretical contribution to service research in the form of\r\na Type IV theory. It enables future service researchers to apprehend, explain, and predict how\r\nfunctionally conscious AI in service might unfold.\r\n\r\nOriginality: An increasingly prolific public discourse acknowledges that conscious AI systems\r\nmay emerge. Against this backdrop, this study aims to systematically explore a question that is\r\nperhaps the most critical and timely, but also inherently speculative, in relation to AI in service\r\nresearch by introducing much-needed theory and terminology.\r\n\r\nPractical implications: The ethical use of conscious AI in service could emerge as a distinct\r\ncompetitive advantage in the future. Achieving this outcome involves speculative yet actionable\r\nrecommendations that include training, guiding, and controlling how humans engage with such\r\nsystems, developing appropriate wellbeing protocols for functionally conscious AI systems, and\r\nestablishing AI rights and governance frameworks.","lang":"eng"}],"status":"public","file":[{"file_size":743479,"access_level":"closed","file_id":"62150","file_name":"Breidbach et al, 2025_Conscious AI in Service_w link.pdf","date_updated":"2025-11-10T10:20:48Z","creator":"dabe","date_created":"2025-11-10T10:20:48Z","success":1,"relation":"main_file","content_type":"application/pdf"}],"_id":"61410","department":[{"_id":"195"}],"user_id":"59677","keyword":["AI","AI consciousness","AI ethics","service systems"],"article_type":"original","ddc":["380"],"file_date_updated":"2025-11-10T10:20:48Z","language":[{"iso":"eng"}],"has_accepted_license":"1","quality_controlled":"1","publication_status":"inpress","year":"2025","citation":{"ama":"Breidbach C, Lars-Erik CF, Maglio P, Beverungen D, Wirtz J, Twigg A. Conscious Artificial Intelligence in Service. <i>Journal of Service Management</i>.","chicago":"Breidbach, Christoph, Casper Ferm Lars-Erik, Paul Maglio, Daniel Beverungen, Jochen Wirtz, and Alex Twigg. “Conscious Artificial Intelligence in Service.” <i>Journal of Service Management</i>, n.d.","ieee":"C. Breidbach, C. F. Lars-Erik, P. Maglio, D. Beverungen, J. Wirtz, and A. Twigg, “Conscious Artificial Intelligence in Service,” <i>Journal of Service Management</i>.","short":"C. Breidbach, C.F. Lars-Erik, P. Maglio, D. Beverungen, J. Wirtz, A. Twigg, Journal of Service Management (n.d.).","bibtex":"@article{Breidbach_Lars-Erik_Maglio_Beverungen_Wirtz_Twigg, title={Conscious Artificial Intelligence in Service}, journal={Journal of Service Management}, publisher={Emerald}, author={Breidbach, Christoph and Lars-Erik, Casper Ferm and Maglio, Paul and Beverungen, Daniel and Wirtz, Jochen and Twigg, Alex} }","mla":"Breidbach, Christoph, et al. “Conscious Artificial Intelligence in Service.” <i>Journal of Service Management</i>, Emerald.","apa":"Breidbach, C., Lars-Erik, C. F., Maglio, P., Beverungen, D., Wirtz, J., &#38; Twigg, A. (n.d.). Conscious Artificial Intelligence in Service. <i>Journal of Service Management</i>."},"date_updated":"2025-11-10T10:22:59Z","publisher":"Emerald","date_created":"2025-09-23T11:47:47Z","author":[{"first_name":"Christoph","full_name":"Breidbach, Christoph","last_name":"Breidbach"},{"full_name":"Lars-Erik, Casper Ferm","last_name":"Lars-Erik","first_name":"Casper Ferm"},{"first_name":"Paul","last_name":"Maglio","full_name":"Maglio, Paul"},{"last_name":"Beverungen","full_name":"Beverungen, Daniel","id":"59677","first_name":"Daniel"},{"last_name":"Wirtz","full_name":"Wirtz, Jochen","first_name":"Jochen"},{"last_name":"Twigg","full_name":"Twigg, Alex","first_name":"Alex"}],"title":"Conscious Artificial Intelligence in Service"}]