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While IS research has increasingly turned its attention to autonomous systems, empirical investigations are predominantly conducted in artificial settings such as offices or factories. As a result, we know relatively little about what shapes autonomy in natural settings, where there is poor access to data on vegetation and terrain. To address this knowledge gap, we report a qualitative case study on the development of autonomous forestry machines. Applying the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework, our analysis reveals that autonomy is inherently shaped by its surroundings, including technological limitations, dynamic organizational processes, and intricate environmental factors. This study furthers IS research on autonomous systems by highlighting their embedded, emergent nature in data-poor and unstructured settings.

This paper investigates policy documents on digital transformation in the public sector and whether technological optimism also risks obscuring constitutional, democratic, and ethical principles. Two analytical tasks were undertaken: first, we mapped policy documents originating from a multi-level setting; and second, we explored the extent to which constitutional, democratic, and ethical principles are articulated. To explore the extent to which these principles are articulated the concept of a public ethos was utilized. A public ethos contains principles associated with a liberal representative democracy and a Weberian bureaucracy. The analysis underscores the need for research on maintaining a public ethos. in politics associated with digital transformation. The policy documents that were analyzed lack ideas concerning democratic legitimacy, legal certainty, ethics in the public encounter, and systems for public scrutiny. The main conclusion is that the space in the documents is dominated by technological optimism, while constitutional, democratic, and ethical principles are given lower priority. The need for further research includes questions concerning (1) conditions for civic participation/party politics, (2) management issues concerning skill/learning development among public employees and on control mechanisms, (3) issues at the frontline of public administration on how the digital transformation affects the treatment of vulnerable/marginalized populations.

The integration of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) in digital creative professions,such as UX design and software development, has implications for the professional competence of workers. This study explores how digital creative professionals perceive the implications of GenAI integration for their professional competence, addressing current concerns about skill loss, disruption of professional identity, and legitimacy. The aim is to discuss the implications of GenAI for professional competence and contribute to the existing literature on GenAI and professional competence. Through interviews with UX designers and software developers,as well as thematic analysis, we illustrate that, from the perspective of digital creatives, integrating GenAI into their work creates dynamics regarding work adaptation, professional uncertainty, competence conditions, professional conduct, and professional knowledge and insight. The findings highlight the current challenges faced by UX designers and software developers, including both opportunities for productivity and competence development, as well as challenges related to ethical responsibility, blurred professional boundaries, and long-term career pathways.These insights may serve as a reference point when designing and deploying GenAI systems to create sustainable, human-centered, and competence-enhancing work environments.