Open Innovation in the Age of AI: How Digital Tools Reshape Knowledge Flows

• Ethan W. McAllister

  University of São Paulo

  Author

Open innovation has become a dominant paradigm in contemporary management research, emphasizing the importance of external knowledge sourcing, collaboration, and distributed innovation networks. With the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced digital tools, the landscape of open innovation is undergoing a fundamental transformation. AI technologies are reshaping how organizations generate, share, absorb, and integrate knowledge, enhancing both the efficiency and complexity of knowledge flows across organizational boundaries. This paper examines the evolving relationship between AI and open innovation, investigating how digital tools—such as machine learning platforms, AI-driven collaboration systems, and data analytics—enable new modes of knowledge exchange and innovation orchestration. Drawing on open innovation theory, knowledge-based theory, and digital transformation research, the paper proposes an integrative conceptual framework outlining the mechanisms through which AI enhances or disrupts traditional open innovation processes. The study contributes to the literature by unpacking how AI-enabled tools restructure knowledge flows, alter collaboration dynamics, and shift organizational capabilities required for innovation in a digital era.

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