Big Data Analytics and Human Decision-making in the Context of Artificial Intelligence: Emerging Possibilities

Big data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) are tools for assisting in human decision-making at all levels of the organization. An important distinction is to be made between the different phases of the decision process, the types of AI intelligence applied, and, in particular, between decision support and decision-making. AI-based big data analytics will gradually migrate, become more important, and occupy a larger part of the decision-making process - albeit with human interaction with the AI. However, the borderline between decision support and decision-making may become narrower, as AI becomes more widespread in the organization and may even reach the C-suite table. In this chapter, two case studies illustrate the use and implications of big data analytics for higher level decision-making. On the one hand, strategic leaders should not set AI on autopilot. On the other hand, future decision-making can hardly be mastered without it.