Human-centred leadership in the age of AI: balancing AI and human intelligence for sustainable decision-making, Rupali Parashar, Venkata Manjula P, Chirag Patel
Rupali Parashar
DBA Research Scholar, Rushford Business School
Switzerland
ORCID: 0009-0003-0227-3651
Venkata Naga Manjula P
IBS Hyderabad, IFHE Foundation
India
ORCID: 0000-0002-6695-7572
Chirag Rasikbhai Patel
Faculty of Management Studies, Sankalchand Patel University, Visnagar
Gujarat
India
ORCID: 0000-0003-4788-0749
DOI: 10.47556/B.OUTLOOK2026.24.1
Received: 2026 / Revised: 2026 / Accepted: 2026 / Published: 2026
Type of Paper: Conceptual Paper
Purpose: The study aims to analyse and compare efficiency-oriented and sustainability-oriented AI governance approaches. It further examines the role of human-centred leadership in sustainable organisational Artificial Intelligence (AI) governance.
Methodology: The study draws on findings from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) report and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) principles to conceptually analyse the gaps between efficiency-oriented and sustainability-oriented AI governance, and to examine how human-centred leadership can bridge these gaps to create sustainable AI governance in organisations.
Findings: AI adoption is increasing among organisations in relation to OECD principles, but governance seems less prepared for sustainable implementation.
Originality: The study proposes a Leadership-Mediated Sustainable AI Governance Transformation Framework to provide a more analytically grounded understanding of sustainable AI-enabled governance systems.
Practical Implications: The study highlights the need for organisations to strengthen leadership capability, governance resilience, accountability integration, and sustainability-oriented oversight alongside AI expansion.
Keywords: Human-Centred Leadership; Sustainability-Oriented AI Governance; Efficiency-Oriented AI Governance; United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation; Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development; Leadership Interventions.
Citation: Parashar, R., Manjula P, V. and Patel, C. (2026): Human-Centred Leadership in the Age of AI: Balancing Artificial Intelligence and Human Intelligence for Sustainable Decision-Making. In Ahmed, A. (Ed.): World Sustainable Development Outlook 2026, Vol. 22, pp. xx-xx. WASD: London, United Kingdom.