Background: Modern technologies, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), are rapidly transforming how managers make decisions. With AI tools increasingly embedded in organizational processes, they offer valuable support by automating tasks, enhancing data analysis, and generating insights for managers. Despite these advancements, the collaboration between humans and AI remains underexplored. Trust, shaped by transparency and explainability, has emerged as a crucial element influencing managers’ willingness to rely on AI advice.

Purpose: Our study investigates how managers perceive the role of AI in business decisions, as well as examines why there is a disparity in AI usage among managers during decision-making within an organization.

Method: This research is based on a qualitative, single-case study approach grounded in a constructivist epistemology. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with ten managers from different departments of our case company. To ensure triangulation, additional data was gathered through talks with experts in the field of AI, field observations, and archival sources. 

Conclusion: Based on our findings, we identified that managers hold mainly a positive perception of AI and recognize significant potential in the usage of AI advice. Our findings showed that the variation in AI usage originates from differences in technical expertise, role requirements, legislation, and limitations in AI tools, specifically when it comes to data quality. The findings highlight the importance of a sociotechnical approach in using AI-driven decision support systems effectively, which emphasizes the need for ongoing dialogue between technical experts and decision-makers to build trust and improve organizational usage.