Unleashing the potential: the impact of AI on corporate entrepreneurship with top management involvement

Purpose Previous research has mostly focused on how information technology (IT) can help firms create innovation, but the understanding of the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on corporate entrepreneurship remains limited. Based on the resource-based view theory, this paper aims to explore how firms can use AI resources (AI utilisation and AI governance) to promote corporate entrepreneurship, particularly when top management is involved. Design/methodology/approach This paper collects questionnaire survey data from Chinese firms and uses hierarchical regression analysis when examining the relationships among the variables involved. Findings The empirical results demonstrate that AI utilisation and AI governance positively affect corporate entrepreneurship. Furthermore, top management beliefs positively moderate the impact of AI utilisation and AI governance on corporate entrepreneurship. Top management participation negatively moderates the effects of AI utilisation and AI governance on corporate entrepreneurship, with no significant moderating effect of AI governance on corporate entrepreneurship. The findings suggest that managers better maintain a positive attitude towards AI technology and gain in-depth knowledge and expertise in AI-related concepts and technologies to promote corporate entrepreneurship. Originality/value This paper contributes to the existing literature regarding the influence of AI on corporate entrepreneurship, as well as how top management beliefs and top management participation moderate these relationships.