Managerial decision-making and AI: A taxonomy of AI collaboration orientations and strategic integration

Artificial intelligence (AI) holds significant promise for enhancing business decision-making, yet managers differ in their perceptions and approaches to collaborating with AI systems. Organizations thus face a managerial challenge: how to account for individual AI collaboration orientations to maximize the benefits of human–AI collaboration while addressing fears of replacement. This study develops a taxonomy of AI collaboration orientations among marketing decision-makers, based on survey data from 472 professionals. A person-centered analysis reveals four distinct profiles: AI Trailblazers, who view AI as a strategic partner; AI Strategists, who balance AI insights with human judgement; Pragmatic Adopters, who value efficiency but remain cautious; and AI Skeptics, who express concerns over sense of control and transparency. These orientations are shaped by collaboration preferences, sense of control, explainability, and organisational support. We also find that managers in organizations that promote AI experimentation report greater satisfaction with market performance. This study advances research on AI trust, human–AI collaboration, and managerial technology adoption. The taxonomy offers firms a practical tool to assess and support AI collaboration readiness and to develop adaptive leadership in an evolving digital environment. • Managerial differences in approaching AI collaboration remain underexplored. • Four distinct AI collaboration orientations emerge among marketing decision-makers. • AI Trailblazers and AI Strategists show the highest levels of strategic engagement. • Collaboration preferences, agency, and transparency shape adoption mindsets. • Organizational support for AI experimentation boosts performance satisfaction.