Rethinking AI through the lens of empowerment

When we talk about artificial intelligence, our conversations often begin with fears and cautionary tales: job loss, existential risk, or a world with machines that can outthink us. But what if we're asking the wrong questions? Instead of replacement, what if the real story is about collaboration, and a future in which AI tools amplify what humans already do best? 

Rethinking AI: A Convivial Lens

In their Journal of Macromarketing paper "AI as a Convivial Tool," Gies researchers Aric Rindfleisch, Myoung Kim, and Erica Lee reframe that conversation by introducing a new perspective that positions AI not as a threat but a collaborative partner in human creativity. Responding to recent discussions of AI's potential pitfalls and disruptions, they offer an alternative: a lens of "conviviality" that emphasizes AI's potential as a widespread enabler of human agency and innovation.

The idea of "conviviality" originates from philosopher Ivan Illich, who envisioned in his 1973 book Tools for Conviviality a kind of technology that promotes humans' autonomy, engagement, and joy. A convivial tool, like the telephone or personal computer, is a tool that's easy to use, widely available, and human-directed, enabling its users to pursue their goals independently.

Myoung Kim, clinical assistant professor of business administration, thinks that shift to focusing on empowerment is essential.

“We’re used to thinking about AI as a kind of industrial tool, something designed for scale, for economic gain, for efficiency. But that’s not how I use it in the classroom, and it’s not how my students experience it. What I’m interested in is AI as a convivial tool, something that empowers individuals, supports creativity, and builds community. It’s more human-centered. It helps us think better, learn better, and connect more meaningfully.”

Erica Lee, a coauthor and doctoral student in business administration, extends that idea, emphasizing that the mindset shift doesn’t mean dismissing risks, but rather reimagining what’s possible.

“We’re not trying to ignore the risk; we’re trying to suggest that we can see AI as a potential tool that fosters people’s ability to really pursue their goals. It’s not just a threat, it’s something we can use to push ourselves forward.”

Challenging the Dominant Narrative

Focusing on AI as a “convivial” tool means focusing on its potential to deliver user experiences that are smaller-scale, individually oriented, and designed for empowerment and enjoyment. Tools like generative AI chatbots, for example, can offer personalized experiences that enhance our capacity for creativity.

“There’s a lot of fear around AI, but to me, optimism is essential,” said Kim. “You can’t teach well without it. You can’t learn well without it. If you’re not optimistic, if you don’t believe something good can come from this tool, then how can you move forward? AI can absolutely be part of the learning journey, but only if we help students see what’s possible.”

Convivial AI in Action

To test their theory, the researchers ran a field study involving 136 students from two different marketing courses. They designed the study around Illich's three criteria for a convivial tool: it should promote autonomy, foster empowerment, and offer a sense of enjoyment.

The results showed promising alignment. Students who used AI for tasks reported confidence and independence in completing tasks, suggesting "considerable evidence of AI's autonomous nature as a convivial tool that fosters freedom and independence." They also described a deeper capacity to enrich a team project, pointing to a sense of empowerment through understanding. Over 70% of the students utilized AI to generate new ideas. Finally, and perhaps more interestingly, many described finding the experience of using AI to be enjoyable: not just because it made some work easier, but because it made learning more participatory. As one student claimed, "there are so many benefits of generative AI, so I'm excited to get more experience with using it."

“It was fascinating to read the data but also actually see it happening in front of me,” said Lee. “AI is just common now. In academia, we sometimes frame it as a threat, but for students, it’s already a pretty significant part of everything they do.”

Kim adds that when AI is used in a way that aligns with learning goals, the effects can be transformative:

“When students use AI in a way that truly supports their learning, they feel empowered. They’re not just getting an answer, they’re understanding why that answer matters. I tell my students that marketing research is magical, and AI can make that magic visible. It gives them confidence. It helps them feel like, ‘I know what I’m doing.’ That’s real empowerment.”

From Fear to Empowerment

Seeing AI as a convivial tool reshapes more than just the classroom; it has implications for how we market, engage, and connect.

• For marketers, it means shifting from viewing consumers as user data points to seeing them as partners, empowered by AI tools.
• For tech innovators, it calls for designing AI tools in ways that enhance autonomy, empowerment, joy, and personal growth, in addition to productivity.
• For educators, it means focusing on the process of learning rather than just the outcomes.

“At this point we can’t stop people from using AI, especially students. It’s too common,” emphasized Lee. “That’s why we’re seeing more in education saying maybe we should focus more on process than outcome and look at how students go through the process while using AI.”

What happens when we stop seeing AI as a replacement and start seeing it as a collaborator? Rindfleisch, Kim, and Lee suggest we might find a tool not of limitation or domination, but of liberation: one that empowers us to express ourselves, expand what it means to be human, and push the boundaries of knowledge. 

"AI can be a mirror, a support, a way of reflecting,” said Kim. “For so many students, the question isn’t just about getting good grades. It’s about why they’re here, what they care about, what matters.”

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Read more about the authors Aric Rindfleisch, Myoung Kim, and Erica (Ji Hyun) Lee. You can also explore more research from Gies and learn more about our innovation with generative AI tools in the classroom, including how a Gies chatbot is transforming learning and winning awards.