Guest Talk "Searching together: Human–AI complementarities in innovation search"

Reda Hassan 

Date/Time: 14.10.2026, 12:00 

Location: D2.2.094 

Abstract 

n the pursuit of innovation, diverse actors engage in frequent interactions. Although Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming an active participant in innovation search, less is understood about how its distinct search capabilities complement those of human actors. We explore the complementarities that emerge in human–AI search and identify three relational dialectics that arise in these interactions. The first contrasts human-centered search, which draws on internal organizational knowledge and relational networks, with AI's boundary-spanning search across distant and unfamiliar domains and its ability to synthesize dispersed internal knowledge. The second juxtaposes human contextualizing, which brings relevance and situational meaning, with AI de-contextualizing, which removes assumptions and exposes abstract, pattern-based connections. The third contrasts human judging, involving evaluation and persuasion, with AI envisaging, which generates and visualizes alternative possibilities. We argue that these dialectical complementarities bring about expanded rationality and mitigate biases in the search process, thereby enhancing the potential for innovation.

Short Bio 

Reda Hassan is an Assistant Professor of Information Systems and Applied AI at WU. His research examines how humans and AI systems collaborate and complement each other in innovation, judgment formation, and organizational contexts. He also studies responsible, AI governance and regulation, and how organizations can adopt AI responsibly while supporting innovation and expert decision-making.