Vulnerabilities and Risks Within the Hybrid Knowledge Management Systems that Integrate Human and Artificial Knowledge

Abstract

The advent of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) changes the human Knowledge Management Systems (KMS) into Hybrid Knowledge Management Systems (HKMS), composed of humans and computers. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the dynamics of knowledge vulnerabilities and knowledge risks within the HKMS that integrate both human knowledge and artificial knowledge. Knowledge vulnerabilities are the weak elements of a knowledge management system, which are the roots of the knowledge risks. Knowledge vulnerabilities represent a potential, while knowledge risks constitute the probable events with negative consequences for the whole organization. The importance of considering the dynamics between knowledge vulnerabilities and knowledge risks comes from the fact that reducing the number of knowledge vulnerabilities allows managers to reduce the associated knowledge risks and their negative consequences. Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) impacts Knowledge Management (KM) through its generation of artificial knowledge. Using GenAI introduces new knowledge vulnerabilities and knowledge risks that should be known by employees. Our analysis is based on a critical literature evaluation, on the theory of risk management, and on GenAI impact on KM. We introduce in our study tree diagrams to show the dynamic correlations between knowledge vulnerabilities and knowledge risks. The originality of the present research comes from using these tree diagrams and their power to help managers in their decision-making. They offer a better understanding of relationships between knowledge vulnerabilities, knowledge risks, and their probable consequences than a simple classification of these vulnerabilities and risks.