Indian School of Business (ISB)

ISB–Kellogg Joint Research Initiative: Prof Matthew Groh Talks About His Research Visit to ISB

Prof. Matthew Groh of Kellogg’s Human‑AI Collaboration Lab visited ISB to discuss a joint research initiative that explores AI’s role as a “shape shifter” – likened to a black‑box or a zip file of the internet – and its capacity for empathetic communication. The team’s core insight is that AI can make users feel heard, validated, and affirmed, prompting a shift from automating empathy to augmenting human soft‑skill coaching. By integrating this framework with ISB faculty work—particularly Professor Lena’s training of female entrepreneurs—the collaboration aims to tailor AI‑driven coaching to the Indian context. Additionally, researchers plan to merge LinkedIn job‑search and labor‑demand data to map how AI reshapes supply‑demand dynamics. Groh highlighted cultural immersion as a source of fresh perspectives, noting his visit to Hyderabad’s 500‑year‑old Golakonda Fort. He remarked that “cultures are different, and those differences reveal new key insights about the kind of work you’re doing,” underscoring the importance of local context in technology design. If successful, AI‑augmented coaching could scale entrepreneurship and soft‑skill development across India, influencing labor market readiness and shaping the future of work in an AI‑driven economy.