KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES IN BRAZILIAN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS AMIDST THE RISE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

This study examines knowledge management (KM) challenges in higher education institutions (HEIs) in the context of artificial intelligence (AI), focusing on Brazilian universities. Adopting a qualitative multiple-case study approach (Yin, 2018), data were collected through interviews, documents, and observations. The findings identify four interconnected challenges: technological limitations, human and cultural resistance, ethical and governance dilemmas, and academic integrity concerns. Interpreted through neo-institutional theory (DiMaggio & Powell, 1983; Oliver, 1991) and organizational ambidexterity (Tushman & O’Reilly, 1996), the results reveal tensions between innovation and academic values. The study contributes by conceptualizing AI integration as a socio-technical transformation that requires alignment between infrastructure, governance, human capabilities, and pedagogical practices.