IDEA CONTESTS IN THE ERA OF AI: IS THE CROWD STILL USEFUL IN THE CASE OF SUSTAINABLE FOOD PACKAGING?
Paper Number
ECIS2025-1595
Paper Type
SP
Abstract
Companies often rely on crowds to complement their own R&D activities, for example, through idea contests. However, the ongoing digital disruption initiated by artificial intelligence applications may blunt the effectiveness of such crowd-based idea generation. Asked pointedly: When artificial intelligence can deliver product ideas that are valued by customers, is the crowd still needed? This study investigates the impact of innovation sources in new product development – crowd-sourced versus R&D departments – and the use of artificial intelligence on consumer acceptance in the context of sustainable food packaging. A scenario-based experiment involving 340 participants reveals that crowd-sourced solutions suffer from a competence trust deficit, which can be mitigated by using artificial intelligence in the design process. Our research is a first step to advance the understanding of how innovation sources and artificial intelligence affect consumer responses and provides insights for the future of the crowd.
Recommended Citation
Walsh, Gianfranco; Schaarschmidt, Mario; and Karampournioti, Evmorfia, "IDEA CONTESTS IN THE ERA OF AI: IS THE CROWD STILL USEFUL IN THE CASE OF SUSTAINABLE FOOD PACKAGING?" (2025). ECIS 2025 Proceedings. 16.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/ecis2025/human_ai/human_ai/16
IDEA CONTESTS IN THE ERA OF AI: IS THE CROWD STILL USEFUL IN THE CASE OF SUSTAINABLE FOOD PACKAGING?
Companies often rely on crowds to complement their own R&D activities, for example, through idea contests. However, the ongoing digital disruption initiated by artificial intelligence applications may blunt the effectiveness of such crowd-based idea generation. Asked pointedly: When artificial intelligence can deliver product ideas that are valued by customers, is the crowd still needed? This study investigates the impact of innovation sources in new product development – crowd-sourced versus R&D departments – and the use of artificial intelligence on consumer acceptance in the context of sustainable food packaging. A scenario-based experiment involving 340 participants reveals that crowd-sourced solutions suffer from a competence trust deficit, which can be mitigated by using artificial intelligence in the design process. Our research is a first step to advance the understanding of how innovation sources and artificial intelligence affect consumer responses and provides insights for the future of the crowd.
When commenting on articles, please be friendly, welcoming, respectful and abide by the AIS eLibrary Discussion Thread Code of Conduct posted here.