TRANSFORMASI DIGITAL UMKM DI ERA ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: INTEGRASI TEKNOLOGI, HUMAN CAPITAL STRATEGY, DAN MARKETING INNOVATION DALAM MEMBANGUN KEUNGGULAN KOMPETITIF

Abstract

Digital transformation and the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) present both opportunities and challenges for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in maintaining competitiveness amid an increasingly dynamic market, including MSMEs in Maluku Province, which face archipelagic geographic challenges and limited digital infrastructure. This study aims to analyze the effect of digital AI technology integration, human capital strategy, and marketing innovation on the competitive advantage of MSMEs in Maluku, both partially and simultaneously. A quantitative associative approach was employed, with the population comprising MSME actors in Maluku Province and a sample of 100 respondents obtained through purposive sampling. Data were collected using a Likert-scale questionnaire and analyzed through validity and reliability testing, classical assumption tests, and multiple linear regression. The results indicate that AI technology integration, human capital strategy, and marketing innovation each have a positive and significant effect on competitive advantage, with technology integration showing the strongest effect. Simultaneously, the three variables significantly affect competitive advantage, jointly explaining 34.2% of its variance. These findings underscore the importance of an integrated approach combining technology adoption, human resource capacity development, and marketing innovation for MSMEs in Maluku to build sustainable competitive advantage in the AI era.