The symbiotic interplay between big data analytics (BDA) and artificial intelligence (AI) in the formulation and execution of sustainable competitive advantage: A multi-level analysis

Despite huge investments, 72% of businesses fail to turn their Big Data Analytics (BDA) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities into long-term competitive advantages, owing to isolated implementations that fail to capitalize on essential synergies. This study fills a critical gap in understanding how BDA and AI dynamically interact at the strategic, operational, and individual levels to build long-term organizational resilience. Using a rigorous mixed-methods design—including longitudinal panel data analysis of 1,200 firms (2015-2023), embedded multi-industry case studies, and fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA)—the study reveals the transformative mechanism of BDA-AI Symbiosis, a recursive cycle in which advanced AI algorithms refine data quality and uncover novel insights within BDA systems, while enriched data assets simultaneously enhance the precision, adaptiveness, and Organizations that manage this integration achieve a 3.2-fold increase in competitive persistence compared to counterparts who operate in silos. The findings show that orchestration capability—the strategic alignment of resources, seamless cross-functional process design, and nurturing of hybrid expertise—mediates 58% of the sustainability effects of this symbiosis. Two equifinal pathways are identified: the Tech-Lead Synergy pathway, exemplified by a FinTech firm leveraging high maturity and executive mandates to accelerate integration, and the Orchestration-Driven pathway, demonstrated by Kroger's inventory optimization through superior process governance, despite moderate initial technological maturity. This study necessitates a paradigm shift by demonstrating that sustainable competitive advantage is derived not from discrete technological assets but from the recursive integration of BDA and AI, meticulously orchestrated across the organizational ecosystem, providing a blueprint for unleashing the enduring power of data-driven intelligence.