Article by Baris Istipliler and Kyung eun Park receives Best Paper Award at BCERC 2026

The article titled “From Possibility to Plausibility: How Entrepreneurs' Orientation Shapes Artificial Intelligence Use in Venture Ideation” investigates the role of AI in opportunity development for entrepreneurs with differing goal orientations

Authored by Baris Istipliler, Kyung-eun Park (University of Mannheim), Sondos Abdelgawad (IE Business School), and Mujtaba Ahsan (San Diego State University), this study explores how generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) influences entrepreneurs’ perceptions of control during opportunity creation and, consequently, their beliefs about the feasibility of entrepreneurial opportunities.

The study highlights a potential downside of GenAI use: Although GenAI can enhance entrepreneurs’ capabilities, it can also weaken their sense of control over the opportunity creation process, particularly among entrepreneurs who prioritize learning and developing their own competencies. This diminished sense of control may, in turn, undermine their confidence in the feasibility of entrepreneurial opportunities. These findings are supported by an experimental study involving current, former, and aspiring entrepreneurs.

The working paper has received the 2026 Babson College Entrepreneurship Research Program & Conference (BCERC) Best Paper on Technology and Entrepreneurship Award. The award ceremony will take place at BCERC 2027 in Lausanne, Switzerland.

A six-page abridged version will also be published in the conference proceedings Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research.

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