MANAGING INNOVATION IN THE AGE OF AI: STRATEGIC LESSONS FOR HEALTHCARE SECTORS

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming how organizations innovate, make strategic decisions, and create value. This theoretical paper explores how AI functions as a catalyst for strategic innovation in both global industries and the healthcare sector. Based on an integrative literature review, the study synthesizes recent academic and policy research to identify key determinants, enablers, and governance challenges shaping AI-driven innovation. The findings show that AI’s contribution extends beyond technological efficiency—it acts as a strategic capability that enhances organizational learning, agility, and collaboration across digital ecosystems. Successful AI integration depends on five interconnected factors: visionary leadership, data quality and governance, human capital, digital infrastructure, and ethical trust. A cross-sectoral comparison highlights significant contrasts between global corporations—characterized by agility, openness, and market-driven innovation—and healthcare systems, where ethical oversight, regulation, and interoperability constraints slow diffusion but strengthen legitimacy and social value. By deriving strategic lessons from both domains, this study advances theoretical understanding of AI as both a technological enabler and a driver of responsible, human-centered transformation in the post-pandemic era.