Justin O'Brien

Part 15 of 17 of a research-based series exploring AI’s impact on leadership This post summarises the article The influence of artificial intelligence-driven capabilities on responsible leadership: A future research agenda by Hossain et al. (2025)

How can leaders manage the disruptive force of AI while ensuring their decisions uphold ethical standards and social responsibility? This systematic review investigates the capabilities required to lead responsibly in AI-driven environments, finding organizational leaders require technical, adaptive, and transformational capabilities. A core concept introduced is ethical resonance—the capacity for moral judgment and systemic view when evaluating AI decisions—which AI-driven capabilities enhance. This is critical because AI decisions, often rooted in utilitarian approaches, may prioritize value creation over adherence to ethical standards. The goal is to enhance Responsible Leadership Performance (RLP) across effectiveness, ethics, and endurance.

The necessity for ethical resonance elevates critical thinking to a non-negotiable component of responsible leadership. Leaders must exercise critical judgment to bridge the gap between AI’s analytical competence and the necessary human warmth and moral foundations (deontological approach) that AI lacks. The critical imperative is the demand for a systemic view; leaders must critically evaluate AI’s impact from the perspective of multiple stakeholders, ensuring that AI systems adjust to people, rather than forcing people to adjust to the systems. This systemic critical appraisal helps leaders detect biases and monitor unethical behaviors to improve RLP.

The authors, Sahadat Hossain, Mario Fernando, and Shahriar Akter, suggest that AI-driven capability positively impacts leaders’ ethical resonance, which is crucial for developing AI strategies that ensure the societal greater good. What are the most effective strategies for developing a leader’s systemic view—the ability to critically balance AI efficiency with stakeholder consequences?

#Leadership #AIinBusiness #ResponsibleLeadership #EthicalResonance #CriticalThinking #DMC #SystemicView

Reference: Hossain S, Fernando M, Akter S. The influence of artificial intelligence-driven capabilities on responsible leadership: A future research agenda. Journal of Management & Organization. 2025;31(5):2360-2384. doi:10.1017/jmo.2025.10010