Exploring the role of trust in AI-driven decision-making: a systematic literature review

The increasing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into managerial decision-making is transforming how organizations operate. It enables both decision augmentation in which AI supports human managers by providing recommendations, and decision automation in which AI independently makes decisions. Trust in AI systems is a critical factor in successful human-AI collaboration, as it affects the acceptance, adoption, and effectiveness of AI-driven decisions. However, the literature on the interplay among trust, AI, and decision-making remains fragmented due to the multidisciplinary nature of this issue. This systematic literature review addresses this issue by synthesizing extant research on the role of trust in AI-driven decision-making within a managerial context. Using a categorization framework, the review classifies 70 relevant articles across two key dimensions: the type of AI-driven decision-making — augmented or automated — and the aspect of trust, including its foundations, dynamics, and outcomes. This structured approach highlights key findings in the literature and identifies areas requiring further investigation. The article not only provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of research but also proposes avenues for future research that could deepen our understanding of trust’s role in AI-driven decision-making and its implications for managerial practices.