Document Type

Article

Source of Publication

Foresight

Publication Date

10-4-2026

Abstract

Purpose – Research on artificial intelligence (AI) in organisations has concentrated on operational efficiency and automation. This study aims to reposition AI as both a constitutive element and a strategic object of foresight, a dual role the literature has noticed but not theorised. Design/methodology/approach – A narrative literature review draws peer-reviewed work from foresight studies, socio-technical systems theory and organisational change into an integrated analytical framework. Selection prioritised conceptual contribution, transparency of reasoning and relevance to AI in strategic futures thinking. Findings – AI strengthens environmental sensing, complex modelling and scenario work under uncertainty. The framework has four components: inputs, AI systems, human–AI interaction and outcomes, and yields five propositions for empirical testing. Research limitations/implications – As a theoretical contribution, empirical validation remains a priority. Findings should be tested across sectors and organisational contexts before generalisation. Practical implications – Organisations must cultivate digital foresight literacy, restructure around cross-functional foresight teams and implement agile governance capable of auditing AI-generated outputs. The framework provides guidance for navigating algorithmic bias, transparency obligations and power asymmetries. Originality/value – This study makes four contributions. It reconceptualises AI as constitutive of organisational foresight instead of an instrument applied to it, introduces and differentiates anticipatory co-evolution as a novel construct, integrates Rohrbeck’s (2010) maturity model with Ivanov’s (2023) configuration taxonomy and sets out ethical governance requirements specific to AI-enabled foresight.

ISSN

1463-6689

Publisher

Emerald

First Page

1

Last Page

15

Disciplines

Business

Keywords

Anticipatory governance, Artificial intelligence, Digital reconfiguration, Organisational change, Socio-technical systems, Strategic foresight

Scopus ID

105052550865

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License

Indexed in Scopus

yes

Open Access

yes

Open Access Type

Green: A manuscript of this publication is openly available in a repository

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