Digital technologies have become foundational to contemporary organizations, markets, governments, and society. Artificial intelligence (AI), digital platforms, blockchain, cloud computing, and the Internet of Things (IoT) are transforming how people work, learn, interact, and create value. These technologies create significant economic, organizational, and societal value. They help businesses transform, support better decisions, and open new services for communities. At the same time, they bring serious risks, including algorithmic bias, privacy violations, cybersecurity threats, misinformation, digital exclusion, and workforce disruption. Recent research shows that adopting a technology does not always lead to real benefits for organizations or society, and value from digital investment is often uneven and varies across situations. There is rising concern about the dark side of digital technologies, including misuse, overuse, and unintended harm.

Addressing these challenges requires information systems that are simultaneously responsible and resilient. Responsible digital systems should be fair, transparent, ethical, and accountable. They should protect human rights, respect privacy, and keep humans in control of important decisions. Resilient digital systems should withstand disruptions, resist attacks, recover from failures, and continue delivering value under changing conditions. Responsibility and resilience are mutually reinforcing. Systems perceived as unfair will lose user trust. Similarly, systems that cannot withstand disruptions are unlikely to sustain long-term organizational or societal value. Despite their interdependence, responsibility and resilience have largely evolved as separate streams of research.

Information systems researchers are uniquely positioned to examine the interplay between digital technologies, individuals, organizations, institutions, and society. It provides a unique lens for understanding how humans and AI collaborate, how users interact with digital platforms, how organizations realize value from digital technologies, and how governance and policy shape digital outcomes. It can also show how digital tools can serve communities, including vulnerable groups, and support accessibility for all. Nevertheless, significant opportunities remain for theory-driven and empirically rigorous research. We need studies that go beyond simple adoption stories and give deeper insight into post-adoption use, value realization, human–machine collaboration, governance of AI, and the long-term impact of digital systems on business and society.

This special issue responds to that need. It invites scholars and practitioners to examine how information systems can advance a responsible and resilient digital future. We invite theoretically grounded, methodologically rigorous, and practically relevant research that advances understanding of responsible and resilient digital futures. Submissions may use various research methods, such as conceptual and theoretical work, surveys, experiments, case studies, and design science methods.

This special issue is linked to the India Conference on Information Systems (InCIS 2027), which carries the same theme. The authors of selected high-quality papers from the conference will be invited to submit substantially extended versions to this special issue. The special issue is also open to all authors through this open call, even if not submitted to the conference.

We encourage studies that move beyond surface-level narratives and offer nuanced insight into how responsibility and resilience can be built into digital systems. Submissions that challenge existing paradigms, explore underexamined dimensions, or offer new frameworks are especially encouraged. Submissions must clearly identify the specific digital technologies and contexts examined. Purely technical or system-level papers without an IS, behavioural, organisational, or societal contribution are outside the scope of this special issue.

Potential topics

• Responsible AI and AI Governance
• Resilient Information Systems and Digital Platforms
• Human–AI Collaboration and Decision Making
• Digital Transformation and Innovation
• User Behaviour in Digital Environment
• Digital Trust, Privacy, and Cybersecurity
• Data Governance and AI-Enabled Decision Making
• Digital Inclusion, Accessibility, and Societal Impact
• Policy and Governance of Digital Technologies
• Design Science Research for Responsible and Resilient IS
• AI and future of work and education
• Opportunities and challenges does AI create for society
• Skills and mindsets that will remain uniquely human in an AI-driven world

Timeline

• September 15, 2027: Submission deadline

Brian King, Texas A&M University

Babak Taheri, Texas A&M University

Danae Manika, Brunel University of London

Kyoung Jun Lee, Kyung Hee University

The aim of this special issue is to advance scholarly understanding of Responsible and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence in tourism and hospitality, by assembling cutting-edge research, innovative methodologies, and critical reflections. As AI technologies become embedded in service delivery, marketing, operations, and consumer experience, transformative opportunities are accompanied by potential ethical challenges. Issues of fairness, accountability, transparency, and trust are particularly pressing as the sector adopts AI in pursuit of personalization, efficiency, and engagement. Responsible AI is linked with the concept of trustworthy AI, which reflects a stronger technological view and focuses on systems that are lawful, ethical, and robust throughout their lifecycle. Earlier research in tourism and hospitality has shown the need for interdisciplinary inquiry regarding the technical, managerial, legal, and societal dimensions of responsible AI adoption.

This special issue aims to provide a dedicated forum for interdisciplinary inquiry into the tensions and synergies that are evident between innovation, ethical responsibility, and human experience. It particularly encourages submissions that highlight the design, adoption, and governance of AI-enabled digital platforms, data-sharing ecosystems, and information infrastructures shaping tourism and hospitality. Papers may investigate the broader societal impacts of AI and topics such as bias and fairness in algorithmic decision-making, consumer trust in AI systems, sustainable and frugal AI applications, digital twins for experience innovation, and governance and regulatory frameworks and human-centered design. This builds on prior Electronic Markets contributions on responsible and trustworthy AI and extends them into the domain of tourism and hospitality. This special issue will foster dialogue across disciplines to highlight best practices as well as challenges in the design, deployment, and governance of responsible AI systems. Ultimately, it seeks to open up pathways that will ensure enhanced customer experiences through AI-driven innovation in tourism and hospitality, while upholding ethical, social, and environmental responsibility.

Electronic Markets is a Social Science Citation Index (SSCI)-listed journal in the area of information management and information systems. All papers should fit the journal scope. This special issue invites submissions that investigate the critical dynamics, challenges, and transformative potential of responsible and trustworthy AI in tourism and hospitality. We welcome studies that deploy quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods approaches, providing that they demonstrate methodological rigor and scholarly relevance. Suitable contributions may include conceptual and theoretical papers, empirical investigations, case-based analyses, position papers, and integrative reviews.

Potential topics

• Ethical AI frameworks in tourism and hospitality: fairness, accountability, transparency, and inclusivity.
• AI-driven consumer experiences: balancing personalization, convenience, and privacy.
• AI robustness and risk: testing booking, pricing, and chatbot vulnerabilities, modeling threats, and strengthening resilience.
• Trust, reliability and safety: building consumer trust, ensuring reliable performance, and managing risks.
• Auditing AI systems: ongoing evaluations in pursuit of fairness, accuracy, and compliance.
• Generative AI in marketing: pursuing responsibility in branding, engagement, and consumer journeys.
• Sociotechnical and cultural dimensions: cross-cultural and historical perspectives on AI adoption.
• AI, sustainability, and CSR: supporting or hindering responsible and sustainable practices in tourism and hospitality.
• Future directions: conceptual frameworks and policy challenges for responsible and trustworthy AI in service innovation and resilience.
• Social and labor impacts: the effects of adopting AI on employment, equity, and workforce well-being.
• Frugal AI and digital twins: cost-effective and resource-conscious applications for operations and guest experiences.
• Algorithmic transparency and rights: making AI decisions understandable and offering recourse for affected consumers.
• Dark side of AI: risks of manipulation, surveillance, over-automation, and addictive design.
• Corporate digital responsibility (CDR) in the age of AI within tourism and hospitality.
• AI on digital platforms: exploring recommender systems, marketplaces, and platform governance.
• Data ecosystems: sharing and leveraging user/usage data across digital travel and hospitality platforms.
• Trustworthy AI principles: ensuring AI systems in tourism and hospitality are lawful, ethical, and technically robust.
• Verification, validation, and explainability: designing AI that is interpretable and auditable for multiple stakeholders.
• Trustworthy AI and consumer journeys: balancing automation with transparency and user empowerment.

Timeline

• September 15, 2026: Submission deadline