From algorithm to alliance: The role of AI in shaping corporate collaborative innovation

Based on data from Chinese manufacturing listed companies between 2010 and 2024, this study empirically examines the impact of corporate artificial intelligence (AI) adoption on collaborative innovation performance and its underlying mechanisms. The results indicate that AI application not only directly enhances collaborative innovation but also exerts an indirect effect through two mediating channels: reducing knowledge acquisition costs and strengthening knowledge integration capability. Further analysis of moderating effects reveals that this positive impact is more pronounced in contexts characterized by a strong collaborative culture and a lower regional litigation risk. By adopting a dual-mechanism perspective of “cost and capability” in knowledge management, this research systematically uncovers the intrinsic pathways through which AI enables collaborative innovation, providing valuable theoretical insights and practical implications for understanding how AI technology reshapes inter-organizational knowledge collaboration and innovation models.