How AI Can Be a Solver’s Best Friend

By MindSumo • February 28, 2025

4 MIN

Key points

Used in the right ways, generative AI can be a huge help to any open innovation solver.
AI can enhance and perhaps accelerate the development of skills that are core to open innovation solving.
You can think of generative AI in terms of four roles that support your solving activities.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere. While ChatGPT was the first tool to capture widespread attention, many others are now available, including Claude, Perplexity, and DeepSeek. And although there’s ongoing debate around the role of AI, it can be a helpful tool for professionals in a variety of fields.

When used effectively, AI can be especially useful for anyone working in open innovation. It can increase productivity and make solving problems easier by:

Enhancing adaptability and responsiveness
Streamlining tasks and workflows
Surfacing new ideas and insights that may not have emerged otherwise

AI doesn’t replace your creativity—it helps strengthen and speed up the development of the skills that matter most for innovation.

4 Ways AI Can Help in Problem-Solving

Think of AI as playing four supportive roles in your work:

Research Assistant

AI can quickly conduct background research. For example, if you’re designing a new toothbrush, you can ask AI to summarize how toothbrush designs have evolved over the past decade. This saves time and gives you a strong foundation to build from.

Brainstorming Partner

AI can help you generate new ideas. Prompt it with specific challenges or questions, and it can offer suggestions to spark your own thinking. You’ll likely find it easier to brainstorm more ideas, faster.

Idea Tester

Original ideas are the heart of open innovation. AI can help you evaluate whether your idea already exists, so you don’t spend time reinventing something that’s already out there.

Trusted Advisor

AI can also act as a sounding board. Ask questions like, “What obstacles might I face with this idea?” or “What could go wrong if I pursue this solution?” to help identify blind spots early.