The Evolution from Human-Centered Leadership to Human–AI Collaborative Leadership: A Systematic Review
Keywords:
Human-centered leadership, human–AI collaboration, artificial intelligence, digital leadership, qualitative research, algorithmic accountability, collaborative intelligenceAbstract
This study aimed to explore how leadership is evolving from human-centered models toward human–AI collaborative leadership in contemporary organizations. This qualitative study was conducted using a systematic exploratory design based on semi-structured interviews with 21 senior managers, digital transformation specialists, human resource experts, and organizational consultants in Tehran. Participants were selected through purposive sampling, and interviews continued until theoretical saturation was achieved after the eighteenth interview, with three additional interviews conducted to confirm saturation. Data were collected through open-ended interview questions focused on leadership transformation, artificial intelligence adoption, decision-making, ethical challenges, and human–AI collaboration. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic analysis with the support of NVivo software. Coding proceeded through open coding, axial categorization, and selective theme development. The analysis led to the identification of four main categories: the transition from individual-centered influence to distributed cognitive leadership, AI as a decision-support partner in leadership practice, ethical accountability and trust in algorithmic environments, and the emergence of adaptive human–AI leadership capabilities. Participants emphasized that AI does not eliminate the human role in leadership but changes the nature of judgment, communication, responsibility, and strategic sensemaking. The findings suggest that human-centered leadership remains essential, yet it must be expanded through data literacy, algorithmic awareness, ethical governance, and collaborative intelligence. Human–AI collaborative leadership represents an evolutionary rather than replacement-based shift in leadership theory and practice. Effective leaders in AI-enabled organizations must combine human values, emotional intelligence, moral responsibility, and contextual judgment with AI-supported analytics, prediction, and decision assistance.
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