Full Professor of Innovation and Knowledge Management, Department of Engineering, LUM Giuseppe Degennaro, Italy
Toward Cognitive Synergy: Integrating AI and Aesthetic Technologies through the Convergent Knowledge Innovation Model
Abstract
In today’s digital age, organizations must go beyond purely functional innovations to design experiences that resonate emotionally, culturally, and cognitively with people. This keynote introduces the Convergent Knowledge Innovation model. This novel framework integrates Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Aesthetic Technologies (AT) to foster a new cognitive synergy between human and artificial systems.
While AI strengthens organizations’ rational capabilities, enhancing data-driven decision-making, automation, and analysis, it often overlooks the emotional, sensory, and interpretative dimensions fundamental to human-centered innovation. Aesthetic Technologies, particularly when activated through arts-based approaches, complement AI by engaging imagination, perception, and meaning-making, thus extending the emotional and experiential scope of organizational cognition.
Grounded in the knowledge-based view of innovation and informed by science and technology studies, the model positions AI and AT as complementary cognitive technologies. Together, they enable the development of hybrid cognitive architectures that blend logical reasoning with aesthetic insight, fostering environments where artificial and natural intelligences can co-evolve to generate transformative value.
By aligning machine intelligence with human imagination, the Convergent Knowledge Innovation model opens new pathways for designing sustainable, meaningful, and emotionally enriched innovations in the era of cognitive infocommunications.
Biography
Professor Giovanni Schiuma is a globally recognized thought leader in knowledge and innovation management, serving as a Full Professor and Director of the Department of Engineering at LUM University in Italy. A Fulbright Scholar at Seton Hall University, Professor Schiuma has held prestigious positions including Director of the Innovation Insights Hub and Professor of Arts-Based Management at the University of the Arts London. His expertise in arts-driven innovation and knowledge-based organizational development has made him a sought-after consultant and speaker worldwide. As President of the International Forum on Knowledge Assets Dynamics (IFKAD) and Chief Editor of the journals Measuring Business Excellence and Cunsulting Editor of Knowledge Management Research and Practice, he has significantly influenced the fields of knowledge management and business excellence. With a prolific academic career spanning over 200 scholarly publications and international engagements at leading institutions such as the University of Cambridge, Cranfield School of Management, and University of Tampere, Professor Schiuma is an inspiring communicator and facilitator known for his creative and innovative approach to solving strategic research and organizational challenges. His work is marked by an exceptional ability to integrate the arts into business practices, driving human-centric innovation in an increasingly digital world.