The AI-ification paradox: the challenge of AI delegation in healthcare

Purpose This paper introduces the AI-ification paradox and explains why organizations that invest in increasingly autonomous AI often keep it in advisory rather than delegated roles. We examine the paradox in healthcare services, where the promise of AI is high but autonomy is tightly bound. Design/methodology/approach The article develops a conceptual model by integrating servitization and task-delegation literature with an illustrative synthesis of 11 interviews from healthcare settings, supplemented by two subsequent expert interviews used for model refinement. Findings AI is most readily delegated to reversible, auditable tasks such as documentation, information retrieval, drafting and second-opinion support. Delegation stalls when verification remains costly, tasks require socio-emotional alignment or professional judgment, and organizational risk, liability, and workflow integration are unresolved. The result is a gap between AI capability and delegated authority that can trap value and weaken return on AI investment. Resources and costs also shape the scope and value of delegation. Originality/value The paper extends research on digital servitization by identifying delegation, rather than technical capability alone, as the next bottleneck in AI-enabled service delivery. It offers a managerial framework for governed autonomy in services.