New research shows that microenterprises can avoid unexpected negative impacts of AI by strategically imitating the top performers in their own size category, offering a proactive path to technological resilience.
Research: Imitation: Mitigating AI backfire. Image Credit: Deemerwha studio / Shutterstock
Previous research suggests that artificial intelligence (AI) influences organizational resources through automation and augmentation. Building on this foundation, the new study published in the Journal of Business Research identifies the phenomenon of backfire effects, which are primarily driven by technological uncertainty in the implementation of AI.
The authors propose that microenterprises can proactively adopt imitation strategies to mitigate these challenges. Drawing on the concept of mimetic isomorphism from organizational theory, the study frames imitation as a proactive rather than passive response to uncertainty. Their findings, derived from simulation modeling rather than empirical field data, indicate that imitation is notably more effective than non-imitation approaches for addressing AI’s backfire effects in microenterprises.
Effective Imitation Strategies
Specifically, the research demonstrates that when microenterprises imitate the practices of other enterprises within the same size category, they achieve greater benefits than by imitating top-performing entities across all categories. The most effective approach is to follow the leading enterprises of a similar size, as this provides targeted and relevant advantages.
Limitations and Strategic Implications
Importantly, the authors emphasize that their results are based on simulation rather than empirical real-world data, and thus may not fully capture all the complexities faced in actual business environments. The simulation approach enabled the authors to systematically analyze how imitation strategies influence enterprise outcomes under different resource scenarios, revealing that strategies imitating similarly sized peers consistently outperform non-imitation and cross-size imitation.
Nevertheless, the study makes a significant contribution to the literature on the “dark side” of AI and the role of imitation strategies, offering a strategic direction for microenterprises seeking to manage AI-related uncertainties in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.
The findings highlight that microenterprises, due to their limited resources and heightened vulnerability to technological uncertainty, benefit most from adopting focused imitation strategies as part of their approach to AI investment and risk management.
Source:
Journal reference: