Intuition or artificial intelligence? When do decision-makers rely on AI decision-aids for ill-structured problems

Purpose With its superior analytical and decision-making capabilities, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a valuable decision aid that enables organizational decision-makers to make effective and efficient decisions while reducing human errors. However, decision-makers continue to disproportionately rely on their intuition, especially when making decisions for ill-structured problems characterized by uncertainty and ambiguity. In this study, we assess the conditions in which decision-makers are willing to forego their intuition and rely on an AI decision aid for an ill-structured problem. Design/methodology/approach Using a mixed-methods research design that included an experiment and an open-ended questionnaire, we assessed the conditions in which decision-makers are more likely to override their intuition and depend on an AI decision aid for an ill-structured decision. Findings We found that the decision-makers' reliance on the AI decision aid depended on two criteria: when the decision alternatives were similar rather than different, and when there was a considerable difference in the AI assessment of the decision alternatives. The qualitative analysis offered insights into the factors influencing participants' reliance on either their intuition or the AI decision aid. Originality/value AI aversion is a significant issue for organizational development. The findings of this study increase our understanding of when and why decision-makers are more likely to rely on AI decision aids.