Organiser
Dr. Mitra Madanchian is an
Associate Professor at University
Canada West, Canada, specializing in
business management, leadership, and
artificial intelligence in business.
With over 18 years of academic and
industry experience, she has
published more than 110
peer-reviewed papers and numerous
books and book chapters with leading
international publishers. Her
research focuses on AI adoption,
digital transformation,
technology-driven leadership, and
organizational performance. She is
the recipient of the 2026 Leadership
in Teaching and Learning Award.
Introduction
The rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is fundamentally transforming organizational structures, leadership practices, strategic decision-making, and innovation processes in the digital era. As organizations increasingly integrate AI-driven technologies, including machine learning, generative AI, predictive analytics, and intelligent automation, transformational leadership has emerged as a critical factor in fostering digital transformation, organizational adaptability, and sustainable competitive advantage. Transformational leaders play a vital role in promoting innovation-oriented cultures, facilitating technology adoption, empowering employees, and aligning AI capabilities with organizational strategies and objectives. The convergence of AI and transformational leadership presents significant opportunities to enhance managerial decision-making, optimize organizational processes, stimulate creativity, and improve overall organizational performance. However, these advancements also introduce challenges associated with ethical AI governance, algorithmic transparency, workforce transformation, digital competencies, and human–AI collaboration. Understanding the interplay between AI capabilities and transformational leadership is therefore essential for developing resilient, innovative, and high-performing organizations. This special session aims to provide an interdisciplinary platform for researchers, academicians, industry professionals, and policymakers to explore emerging theoretical perspectives, empirical findings, and practical applications at the intersection of artificial intelligence, transformational leadership, innovation, and organizational performance. The session encourages innovative research examining how leadership strategies and AI-enabled capabilities can collectively drive responsible digital transformation, strengthen organizational effectiveness, and create sustainable value in an increasingly complex and technology-driven business environment.
Related topics for this special session (but not limited to) :
• Artificial Intelligence and
transformational leadership in
the digital era
• AI-driven digital
transformation and
organizational change management
• The role of transformational
leadership in AI adoption and
implementation
• AI-enabled strategic
decision-making and managerial
effectiveness
• Generative AI and its
implications for leadership and
organizational innovation
• Human–AI collaboration and
augmented leadership
intelligence
• AI-driven business model
innovation and organizational
competitiveness
• Transformational leadership,
creativity, and innovation
management
• AI capabilities, dynamic
capabilities, and organizational
performance
• Data-driven leadership and
evidence-based managerial
decision-making
• Ethical leadership,
responsible AI adoption, and
algorithmic governance
• AI transparency,
explainability, accountability,
and organizational trust
• Leadership strategies for
managing AI-driven workforce
transformation
• AI-enabled human resource
management and employee
performance
• Digital leadership
competencies and organizational
AI readiness
• Transformational leadership
and employee engagement in
AI-enabled workplaces
• AI-driven knowledge
management, organizational
learning, and knowledge sharing
• Organizational culture,
digital agility, and
technological innovation
• The role of AI in
organizational resilience,
sustainability, and long-term
performance
• AI-powered predictive
analytics and strategic
organizational planning
• Leadership challenges and
opportunities in human-centered
AI implementation
• AI adoption barriers,
technological resistance, and
organizational adaptability
• AI-enabled innovation
ecosystems and cross-functional
collaboration
• Transformational leadership
and AI integration in small and
medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
• AI, transformational
leadership, and sustainable
organizational development
• Emerging theoretical
frameworks and empirical models
linking AI, leadership,
innovation, and organizational
performance