This is what I think...
There is a way to gain some benefit from OI. You can interpret OI.
Big OI numbers are at meaningful strikes. In the options chain, you wont see big OI at random strikes.
Therefore to find meaningful strikes, see big OI numbers.
These meaningful strikes signify support and resistance, and psychological levels.
Therefore by looking at the options chain and its big OIs, u already know what the market sees as support and resistance levels and psychological levels (psychological means 100, 25, 50, that kinda thing)
Also the 2 academic papers in this thread say there is 'pinning' or 'clustering' towards the big OI strikes as expiration nears or on expiration date itself.
It basically means the underlying price will cluster or get pinned near to its options strikes.
But how to interpret it, as to its direction, I agree it is not reliable. Except in this following manner:
Choose an option inside a big OI if you are an options buyer, and outside a big OI if you are a seller.
Because by being inside/nearer to big OI, you are not being hampered by s/r and u let the pinning help u. By being outside/ farther, u use the s/r as your friend as well as pinning, so it will be harder to touch ur short option.
That's one way I can think of.