Innovative Leadership of School Administrators in the Artificial Intelligence Era

Abstract

This academic article aims to analyze and synthesize conceptual perspectives on the innovative leadership of school administrators in the artificial intelligence Era, with the purpose of elucidating a conceptual framework applicable to school administration and the sustainable transformation of schools into innovative organizations. The study employs a comprehensive review of national and international literature, adopting Horth and Buchner’s (2014) Innovative Thinking Skills framework as its primary conceptual foundation. This framework is further integrated with leadership theories, perspectives on educational change, and ethical approaches to the use of artificial intelligence in education.The synthesis reveals that innovative leadership  in the artificial intelligence Era comprises six components: (1) data- and context-sensitive orientation; (2) human-centered and personalized orientation; (3) imaginative and visionary communication; (4) experimentation and practice-based learning; (5) collaborative innovation processes; and (6) integrative and ethical decision-making. These components reflect the evolving role of school administrators as change leaders and designers of innovation ecosystems who are capable of leveraging AI as an augmentation tool to support decision-making, innovation design, and the professional development of teachers and learners, while preserving human values and social responsibility. Consequently, this article offers a coherent conceptual contribution to the development of school leadership, educational policy formulation, and future educational research in the digital era.