Data Science Program Head Publishes Timely Book About AI in the Workplace

The CUNY School of Professional Studies (CUNY SPS) is pleased to celebrate the publication of the book Organizing for Generative AI and the Productivity Revolution, written by Dr. Arthur J. O’Connor, academic director of the School’s MS in Data Science and BS in Information Systems programs.

Published by Apress Publishers, the book focuses on how generative AI is reshaping the nature of work and organizational structures.

“The inspiration to write Organizing for Generative AI and the Productivity Revolution came from realizing how different this technology is from the digital revolution that preceded it. Recall that current IT roles and functions arose from the specialized expertise required for humans to use and interact with computers,” Dr. O’Connor said. “In contrast, generative AI (and the whole field of Natural Language Processing that preceded it) is about designing and training computers to interact with humans. The promise of generative AI is that massive computational processing—once the exclusive realm of specialists and their supercomputers—is now in the hands of everyday users and employees, who are inventing brilliant (and sometimes dangerous) ways to use these powers.”

Written from his perspective as a data scientist who studies organizational behavior, the book is designed to be a call to change the way business organizations are structured and staffed—especially their IT departments, most of which still operate as secret guilds with their own mysterious language and practices that are organizationally and functionally isolated from core business units.

As Dr. O’Connor explains in the book, the emerging productivity revolution calls for new types of roles and functions, in which IT is not a distinct organizational unit but an interconnected discipline spanning almost every aspect of a business. He proposes that those organizations that align themselves to maximize the power and minimize the risks of AI will have a significant competitive advantage over those that do not.

Dr. O’Connor’s AI-related insights have also been featured in a number of publications, including CEO Magazine, CIO.com, and Computer World.

For more information and to order the book, visit the publisher’s website.

About the CUNY School of Professional Studies

As New York's leading online school since 2006, the CUNY School of Professional Studies (CUNY SPS) offers the most online bachelor's and master's degree options at the City University of New York, and serves as the University's first undergraduate all-transfer college. With 26 degrees and numerous other non-degree and grant-funded workplace learning programs, CUNY SPS meets the needs of adults who wish to finish a bachelor's degree, progress from an associate's degree, earn a master's degree or certificate in a specialized field, and advance in the workplace or change careers. Consistently ranked highly by U.S. News & World Report for its online offerings, CUNY SPS has emerged as a nationwide leader in online education. The School's renowned and affordable online programs ensure that busy working adults may fulfill their educational goals on their own time and schedule.

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