Abstract The receptivity to Artificial Intelligence (AI) adoption within organizations significantly impacts competitive advantage, operational efficiency, and innovation capabilities. Despite its strategic importance, many organizations encounter resistance, often attributed to inadequate leadership engagement and incompatible organizational cultures. This critical review investigates leadership engagement strategies and organizational cultural dynamics essential for fostering an AI-receptive environment. Utilizing a Narrative Literature Review (NLR) methodology, this research synthesizes peer-reviewed articles published within the past five years, selected based on their relevance to AI adoption, leadership practices, and organizational culture frameworks. The review draws upon the theoretical underpinnings of Transformational Leadership Theory, highlighting its propositions regarding visionary leadership, motivational dynamics, and cultural alignment. Through thematic synthesis, key findings reveal that leaders who proactively communicate AI benefits, model openness to innovation, and promote psychologically safe environments significantly increase employee receptivity. Concurrently, organizational cultures characterized by flexibility, collaboration, and continuous learning demonstrate enhanced adaptability to AI initiatives. This study underscores the imperative of aligning leadership behaviors with cultural frameworks to optimize AI integration. Practitioners and organizational policymakers can leverage these insights to develop targeted leadership training programs and cultural transformation initiatives. Further research is recommended to empirically validate the efficacy of specific leadership behaviors and cultural interventions across diverse organizations.
Neville Welch (Mon,) studied this question.