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Articles
DOI: 10.14254/1795-6889.2026.22-1.3
Submitted: 2026-04-29
Published: 2026-04-29

From substitution to augmentation: Reimagining the human role in AI-enabled innovation management systems

University of Exeter Business School
Al-Farabi Kazakh National University
artificial intelligence human-AI collaboration innovation management innovation management systems ISO 56002 absorptive capacity

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping innovation management, moving from a peripheral technology to a potentially transformative force within organisational innovation systems. This paper examines AI’s role within an Innovation Management System (IMS) using the ISO 56002 framework. Adopting a conceptual and integrative literature review approach, the study brings together insights from innovation management research, emerging evidence on AI applications, and prior studies of technological diffusion and socio-technical change. The analysis identifies two broad and complementary AI capabilities, analytical AI and generative AI, whose application across the innovation process highlights substantial opportunities in search, selection, implementation, and value capture.  Findings indicate that current AI adoption is largely limited to substitution, improving existing tasks, while its transformative potential lies in augmentation and human-AI collaboration. The paper argues for deeper socio-technical integration of AI as a complementary partner within innovation management systems.

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How to Cite

Bessant, J., & Zhidebekkyzy, A. (2026). From substitution to augmentation: Reimagining the human role in AI-enabled innovation management systems. Human Technology, 22(1), 49–67. https://doi.org/10.14254/1795-6889.2026.22-1.3