Download the paper: On the Roles of GenAI in Theory Building and on Mileva Marić, Einstein’s Wife
This paper explores the roles that generative artificial intelligence (genAI) can fulfil in the theory-building process within the social sciences, drawing an analogy with Mileva Marić’s contributions to Albert Einstein’s scientific work. Whilst existing literature acknowledges genAI as a cognitive partner in knowledge generation, it lacks systematic frameworks for understanding its diverse functions in theory construction. Based on autoethnographic research in management sciences, this study identifies four distinct roles: the proficient encyclopaedist (synthesising dispersed knowledge across disciplines), the crazy innovator (generating creative ideas at scale), the meticulous reviewer (providing critical feedback), and the drunken cartographer (attempting to structure theoretical relationships). The findings emphasise that genAI operates most effectively through iterative, human-in-the-loop processes, where the researcher’s judgment remains central to evaluating, interpreting, and curating generated content. The paper contributes to the literature by providing a conceptual framework that shifts the debate from tool-level discussions to epistemic considerations of how genAI participates in theory construction in the social sciences.