Artificial Intelligence and the Great Reset: Impacts and Perspectives for Italian SMEs Business Model Innovation

• Published in: Systems (Basel) Vol. 12; no. 9; p. 330
• Main Authors: Muto, Valerio, Luongo, Simone, Percuoco, Martina, Tani, Mario
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.09.2024
• Subjects: Artificial intelligence; Automation; business model innovation; Business models; Computational linguistics; Continuous improvement; COVID-19; Decision making; Forecasts and trends; great reset; Innovations; Language processing; Natural language interfaces; PLS-SEM; Small and medium sized companies; survey; Sustainability; system theory; United Kingdom
• ISSN: 2079-8954; 2079-8954
• DOI: 10.3390/systems12090330

The rise of artificial intelligence is fundamentally transforming the competitive landscape across various sectors, offering visionary enterprises new pathways to innovation development and to get a competitive edge. AI leverages data, analysis, and observations to perform tasks without hard coding, and benefits from self-learning and continuous improvement. We use Systems Thinking to frame how managers may adopt and integrate AI in business activities. We also investigate the motivations driving entrepreneurs to adopt AI solutions, and how they may impact on sustainable business model innovation, by administering a questionnaire to a sample of innovative Italian SMEs to get a comprehensive overview of the dynamics influencing AI adoption in business. This study sheds light on the intricate relationship between technology, sustainability, and corporate innovation. It offers both valuable insights for future research and for strategic managerial decisions on AI integration. Furthermore, it helps the development of innovative, sustainable business models in the evolving landscape of the Great Reset.