The transformative impact of AI on knowledge management processes

Purpose: This study seeks to explore the prospective strategic relationship between knowledge management (KM) and artificial intelligence (AI) by examining how AI technologies are currently perceived to enhance critical knowledge management processes (KMPs) in organizations. Design/methodology/approach: An online survey of 378 employees and managers, representing a diverse range of sociodemographic and occupational backgrounds, evaluated the perceived usefulness of AI in key KMPs: knowledge acquisition, documentation, sharing and application. It also evaluated the perceived importance of AI implementation and trust in AI tools for KMPs, inspired by established theoretical frameworks for technology acceptance. Statistical tests included ANOVA, t-tests, MANOVA, Pearson and Spearman. Findings: AI is perceived as highly beneficial across all KMPs, with varying degrees of usefulness. Specifically, managers generally see higher potential in AI for KM than regular employees. Positive attitudes toward AI were noted among knowledge managers for knowledge acquisition and graduated for knowledge application. The findings also show a positive correlation between the perceived usefulness of AI, the importance of its implementation and trust in AI tools. Surprisingly, the high-tech sector reported lower perceptions of AI’s usefulness, especially for knowledge acquisition and sharing. Gender, age, seniority and organization size showed no significant impact. Originality/value: Given that research on AI in KM is still in its early stages and largely theoretical, this empirical investigation is timely. The findings thus represent a pioneering effort in harnessing the potential of AI within knowledge-intensive organizational environments.