Leadership Transformation in the AI Era: A Delphi Study on Role Shifts and Ethical Challenges in Indian Corporates

The advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer a distant technological frontier; it is now an embedded force reshaping the foundations of contemporary organizations. Across functions such as recruitment, supply chain management, customer engagement, and strategic forecasting, AI is enabling organizations to make faster, data-driven, and increasingly autonomous decisions. In doing so, it is transforming not only how decisions are made but who makes them- and more importantly, what leadership means in this emergent reality. This evolution presents a dual-edged opportunity and challenge for leaders. On one hand, AI systems offer unprecedented analytical precision and automation that can free leaders from operational overload. On the other, they demand new forms of leadership that can navigate algorithmic complexity, foster digital trust, ensure ethical governance, and maintain human relevance in machine-augmented ecosystems. The strategic incorporation of AI is not merely a technological upgrade- it is a catalyst for organizational change at cultural, structural, and psychological levels. This shift is particularly significant in emerging economies like India, where the pace of digital transformation is intensifying across both legacy firms and startups. Indian corporates are grappling with the simultaneous pressures of global competitiveness, digital innovation, regulatory complexity, and workforce demographic shifts. Amidst this flux, leadership is no longer confined to positional authority; it is becoming a capability to manage digital-human collaboration, interpret AI-informed insights, and orchestrate inclusive, ethical decision-making under uncertainty. However, existing research on leadership in AI-enhanced environments remains largely conceptual or Western-centric. There is a dearth of empirical and consensus-based understanding of how Indian corporate leaders perceive and respond to AI’s growing role in decision-making, and what new expectations and responsibilities are being placed upon them. This knowledge gap poses both academic and practical limitations, especially for leadership development, organizational design, and change management strategies. To address this gap, the present study explores how AI-driven decision-making is impacting leadership roles in Indian corporates. Employing a Delphi methodology, the research engages a panel of experts across industries to uncover consensus on emerging leadership traits, dilemmas, and transformations in AI-intensive organizational contexts. The study proposes a consensus-based framework for leadership transformation in AI-integrated Indian corporates.

AI Leadership, Algorithmic Decision-Making, Digital Trust, Ethical Leadership, Delphi Study

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