Artificial intelligence in school leadership: a multi-level framework for leadership capacity building

Purpose Drawing on a mapping of the existing literature, this study aims to develop a multi-level framework for school leadership capacity building in the era of AI, providing a foundation for professional development. Design/methodology/approach The study adopts a systematic mapping approach to review empirical and conceptual literature on AI in school leadership. The review process was informed by PRISMA-ScR guidelines to ensure transparency and rigor. Findings The analysis identifies seven interrelated dimensions of AI-enabled school leadership organized into a multi-level framework across three levels: individual, organizational and systemic. Originality/value This study moves beyond the fragmentation of the existing literature and offers a synthetic and theoretically integrated understanding of school leadership in AI-driven environments. It conceptualizes AI-driven leadership as a multi-level and dynamic capacity-building process shaped by interactions across individual, organizational and systemic levels.