The Driving Mechanism of Artificial Intelligence Applications on Firm Ambidextrous Innovation: The Mediating Role of Organizational Learning and the Moderating Effect of Knowledge Integration Capability

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6239-701-9_61How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Artificial Intelligence Applications; Organizational Learning; Firm Ambidextrous Innovation; Knowledge Integration Capability; Structural Equation Modeling

Abstract

This study investigates how artificial intelligence (AI) applications drive firm ambidextrous innovation, focusing on the mediating role of organizational learning and the moderating effect of knowledge integration capability. Drawing on organizational learning theory and the knowledge-based view, we develop a moderated mediation model that conceptualizes AI as cognitive infrastructure reshaping organizational learning pathways. Based on two-phase survey data from 414 Chinese firms, we employ structural equation modeling to test our hypotheses. The results reveal that AI applications positively influence both exploitative innovation (β = 0.347, p < 0.001) and exploratory innovation (β = 0.346, p < 0.001). Organizational learning partially mediates these relationships with indirect effects, accounting for 31.5% of AI’s total effect on ambidextrous innovation. Furthermore, knowledge integration capability positively moderates the relationship between organizational learning and both innovation types, with stronger moderating effects on exploratory innovation (β = 0.202, p < 0.001) than on exploitative innovation (β = 0.146, p < 0.001). These findings contribute to the literature by reconceptualizing AI as cognitive enhancement technology and identifying knowledge integration as a critical boundary condition. For managers, our results emphasize the need for balanced investment in AI technologies, learning infrastructure, and knowledge integration capabilities.

Copyright

© 2026 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Jingyi Wang
AU  - Hao Xue
AU  - Qinhe Yu
AU  - Minghan He
AU  - Heshi Zhang
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/07/30
TI  - The Driving Mechanism of Artificial Intelligence Applications on Firm Ambidextrous Innovation: The Mediating Role of Organizational Learning and the Moderating Effect of Knowledge Integration Capability
BT  - Proceedings of the 2026 11th International Conference on Social Sciences and Economic Development (ICSSED 2026)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 593
EP  - 604
SN  - 2352-5428
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6239-701-9_61
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6239-701-9_61
ID  - Wang2026
ER  -