Artificial intelligence in secondary schools: implications for administrators across four leadership dimensions

Purpose This study examines how secondary school administrators can lead ethical artificial intelligence (AI) integration within environments demanding technological innovation and educational value preservation. Design/methodology/approach The study conducted a scoping review of literature (2018–2025) to analyze administrative functions across four established leadership dimensions: instructional, managerial, strategic, and relational. Sources were obtained from academic databases and grey literature, with 21 sources selected based on relevance to secondary education and administrative practice. Analysis is grounded in foundational leadership scholarship while examining contemporary AI integration challenges. Findings The analysis reveals a misalignment between AI's most frequent use (relational leadership functions) and where it may be most appropriately suited (managerial and strategic functions). AI integration creates distinct opportunities and risks across each leadership dimension, with equity concerns emerging consistently. Communication represents the primary AI use, despite being the most fundamentally human aspect of educational leadership. Cognitive offloading risks emerge when administrators delegate critical thinking tasks to AI systems, potentially attenuating leadership capabilities essential for educational effectiveness. Research limitations/implications This study relies on secondary data collection and English-language sources, creating Western-centric bias and limiting generalizability beyond North American contexts. The corpus of 21 sources reflects the nascent research state in this emerging field. The rapid evolution of AI capabilities means current findings may prove transitional as technology advances. Future empirical research should examine long-term cognitive effects of AI reliance on administrators, stakeholder trust implications when AI-mediated communications are detected, differential equity impacts across diverse school communities, cross-cultural implementation patterns, and effectiveness of hybrid governance approaches for AI integration in educational leadership. Practical implications Findings support implementing hybrid governance models that combine regulatory oversight with participatory decision-making between administrators and stakeholders. Professional development programs must balance AI literacy training with preserving human capabilities essential for authentic educational leadership. Administrator preparation programs require redesign to address cognitive offloading risks while maintaining relationship-building and cultural competence development. Educational leaders should prioritize AI applications in managerial and strategic functions while preserving human judgment in relational leadership contexts. Policy frameworks must address equity concerns and provide guidance for schools serving vulnerable populations who currently receive less AI implementation support. Social implications AI implementation without critical examination risks amplifying existing educational inequities, particularly affecting Indigenous, newcomer, and racialized communities. Democratic participation in AI boundary-setting becomes essential for maintaining institutional trust and stakeholder engagement. The misalignment between AI deployment and appropriate applications threatens the relational foundations of effective educational leadership. Originality/value The study provides the first systematic examination of AI integration across established educational leadership dimensions in secondary school contexts, addressing a critical research gap given that nearly 60% of K-12 principals use AI tools while fewer than 10% of schools have established AI policies.