Duality of AI in Knowledge Management: Correlating Utility Perceptions with Implementation Challenges

Abstract

This study investigates how organizational members concurrently perceive the benefits of artificial intelligence (AI) for knowledge management processes (KMPs) and the challenges involved in implementing AI within knowledge management systems (KMSs). Based on survey data from 378 respondents across diverse sectors and roles, the research employs validated instruments measuring perceptions of AI’s contribution to knowledge acquisition, documentation, sharing, and application, as well as perceived human, technological, financial, and ethical‑regulatory barriers. The results show a consistent positive relationship between perceived AI usefulness and perceived implementation barriers: individuals who attribute greater value to AI-enhanced knowledge processes also express heightened awareness of the complexities required to integrate AI into organizational systems. Knowledge documentation presents the strongest associations with all barrier categories, while knowledge sharing exhibits the weakest. Human‑related barriers emerge as the most pervasive across all processes, indicating the central role of employee readiness and organizational culture in shaping AI-enabled KM. These findings reveal a dual perception in which optimism regarding AI’s potential coexists with recognition of the organizational adjustments it demands. The study contributes to a more integrated understanding of AI adoption in KM, emphasizing that effective implementation requires aligning technological capabilities with human, cultural, and governance considerations.