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“It’s Just a Tool” – Until It Isn’t: Understanding the Professional Identity of Creative Professionals in Response to the Promotion of Human-LLM Co-Creativity

Regling, Britta LU and Driessen, Mathijs Marcel LU (2026) BUSN49 20261
Department of Business Administration
Abstract
Title: “It’s Just a Tool” – Until It Isn’t: Understanding the Professional Identity of
Creative Professionals in Response to the Promotion of Human-LLM Co-
Creativity
Authors: Britta Regling and Mathijs Driessen
Supervisor: Stephan Schaefer, Program Director and Associate Professor at Lund
University, School of Economics and Management, Sweden
Course: BUSN49 – Master’s Thesis – Managing People, Knowledge and Change
Submission: May 27th, 2026
Purpose: This study explores how creative professionals understand their professional
identity in technology organizations that actively promote human-LLM cocreative
processes. It examines the identity work performed in response to
opposing professional identity norms, standards and... (More)
Title: “It’s Just a Tool” – Until It Isn’t: Understanding the Professional Identity of
Creative Professionals in Response to the Promotion of Human-LLM Co-
Creativity
Authors: Britta Regling and Mathijs Driessen
Supervisor: Stephan Schaefer, Program Director and Associate Professor at Lund
University, School of Economics and Management, Sweden
Course: BUSN49 – Master’s Thesis – Managing People, Knowledge and Change
Submission: May 27th, 2026
Purpose: This study explores how creative professionals understand their professional
identity in technology organizations that actively promote human-LLM cocreative
processes. It examines the identity work performed in response to
opposing professional identity norms, standards and expectations, and how
engaging with LLMs influences the PI of creative professionals.
Methodology: This research employs a qualitative, abductive study, following the symbolic
interactionism research tradition. Empirical material consists of 12 semistructured
interviews, conducted within a singular Swedish ICT company.
Theoretical Framework: The theoretical framework draws on professional identity theory, extended
through Carter and Grover's (2015) IT identity concept. Identity work,
including threats, liminality and provisional selves, serve as analytical lenses
through which creative professionals' responses are examined.
Contribution: This thesis makes two theoretical contributions. First, it contributes to
human-LLM co-creativity literature by offering an empirically grounded
view on how creative professionals understand their professional identity in
organizations that promote human-LLM co-creative processes, and how this
is influenced by engaging with the LLMs. Second, it offers an insight into
how engaging with the LLMs leads to subconscious cognitive entanglement,
against which professional identity is continuously under construction.
Keywords: Human-LLM co-creativity, Creative Professionals, Professional Identity,
Identity Construction, IT Identity, LLM Identity, Identity Work. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Regling, Britta LU and Driessen, Mathijs Marcel LU
supervisor
organization
course
BUSN49 20261
year
type
H1 - Master's Degree (One Year)
subject
keywords
Human-LLM co-creativity, Creative Professionals, Professional Identity, Identity Construction, IT Identity, LLM Identity, Identity Work.
language
English
id
9231082
date added to LUP
2026-06-18 16:47:04
date last changed
2026-06-18 16:47:04
@misc{9231082,
  abstract     = {{Title: “It’s Just a Tool” – Until It Isn’t: Understanding the Professional Identity of
Creative Professionals in Response to the Promotion of Human-LLM Co-
Creativity
Authors: Britta Regling and Mathijs Driessen
Supervisor: Stephan Schaefer, Program Director and Associate Professor at Lund
University, School of Economics and Management, Sweden
Course: BUSN49 – Master’s Thesis – Managing People, Knowledge and Change
Submission: May 27th, 2026
Purpose: This study explores how creative professionals understand their professional
identity in technology organizations that actively promote human-LLM cocreative
processes. It examines the identity work performed in response to
opposing professional identity norms, standards and expectations, and how
engaging with LLMs influences the PI of creative professionals.
Methodology: This research employs a qualitative, abductive study, following the symbolic
interactionism research tradition. Empirical material consists of 12 semistructured
interviews, conducted within a singular Swedish ICT company.
Theoretical Framework: The theoretical framework draws on professional identity theory, extended
through Carter and Grover's (2015) IT identity concept. Identity work,
including threats, liminality and provisional selves, serve as analytical lenses
through which creative professionals' responses are examined.
Contribution: This thesis makes two theoretical contributions. First, it contributes to
human-LLM co-creativity literature by offering an empirically grounded
view on how creative professionals understand their professional identity in
organizations that promote human-LLM co-creative processes, and how this
is influenced by engaging with the LLMs. Second, it offers an insight into
how engaging with the LLMs leads to subconscious cognitive entanglement,
against which professional identity is continuously under construction.
Keywords: Human-LLM co-creativity, Creative Professionals, Professional Identity,
Identity Construction, IT Identity, LLM Identity, Identity Work.}},
  author       = {{Regling, Britta and Driessen, Mathijs Marcel}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{“It’s Just a Tool” – Until It Isn’t: Understanding the Professional Identity of Creative Professionals in Response to the Promotion of Human-LLM Co-Creativity}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}