AI for innovators - An exploratory study on the application of Artificial Intelligence as a supportive tool in the innovation process

Abstract

The technological evolution we are experiencing nowadays has impacted many businesses and industries. In this sense, one of the most influential technologies is certainly Artificial Intelligence, which especially in recent months has been at the centre of numerous debates. The purpose of this research is to understand whether and how Artificial Intelligence can be used as a supporting tool in innovation processes, as well as what are the future perspectives in this regard. Indeed, for quite some time now, AI has been used in the most innovative companies as a support in decision-making, to streamline and automate processes, or through the robotisation of activities that were previously carried out by human workers. However, it is unclear whether and to what extent it can also support organisations in long and complex innovation processes. In order to get a more complete idea about this, a qualitative exploratory study was implemented. Several exponents from different companies and industries were interviewed by means of semi-structured interviews. The target market context was Sweden, considering the role that this country has and has always had in terms of innovation and cutting-edge companies. The results of the study contribute to the theory and knowledge in the literature but also have more practical implications. Indeed, through this research, it has been shown how AI can be a crucial element in several directions when applied to different contexts of innovation. In fact, AI can have a direct impact on innovation drivers and barriers and along all stages of the innovation process, leading companies to achieve incremental but also more disruptive innovations. However, at the moment, we are only at the beginning of the path of AI adoption in innovation processes and this implies that companies will have to pay attention to the main opportunities and challenges in this regard, that have emerged during the primary and secondary data analysis phases.