Non-hierarchic leadership collaboration: Exploring the adoption of AI-driven social networking for addressing social challenges in an extra-organizational environment

The literature has explained how technology adoption and usage is affected by many socio-technical issues and how the emergence and evolution of networks is key for innovation. However, empirical analysis of interactions between leadership networks and new artificial intelligence-driven technologies is scarce. To shed new light on leadership communities around the adoption of an existing and a new technology related to leadership networks, we analyze the level of socio-digital engagement of a non-hierarchical network of individuals associated with a prestigious Spanish Foundation in the context of pressing social challenges. We apply a methodology that combines quantitative and qualitative methods, sentiment analysis, and insider research to analyze the strategy applied by the Foundation. Our main results show that the existence of strong, trust-based relationships and the introduction of a well-designed AI-based tool may only have a limited effect on the adoption of technology and the evolution of a network. Specifically, in the case studied, the network of leaders around the Foundation comprised peer leadership networks but not collective leadership networks focused on action on social challenges. • New indicators of the intensity of interactions and emotions for groups of people have been created. • Intensity of interactions and emotions within networks positively affects adoption of new technology. • Evolution towards a collective leadership network requires more than the introduction of new AI-based technology. • Non-hierarchic leadership collaboration requires more than new AI-based tools and existence of strong networks to be self-sustained.