Pivoting uncertainty with AI: Decision-Making and Knowledge Management for Start-ups in Innovation Ecosystems

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into strategic decision-making processes is transforming the way organizations operate. The paper explores how the startups of the the Rome Technopole innovative ecosystem integrate Artificial Intelligence into decision-making processes while pholding human-centric values and ethical standards. This study aims to explore how the Knowledge Management (KM) framework can support strategic choices that derive from an effective and ethical integration of AI into decision-making processes, while ensuring the autonomy of decision-makers. The methodology followed is qualitative-quantitative, based on the administration of semistructured interviews, the results of which are integrated with the analysis of the answers deriving from the sharing of an anonymous questionnaire. Findings indicate that the adoption of AI guided by KM principles, combined with human skills, improves organizational adaptability, employee engagement, unlocks new growth opportunities, even under uncertainty and accelerates organizational learning cycles. The paper proposes a framework that balances AI and Human Intelligence.