Rewired Leadership: Integrating AI-Powered Mediation and Decision-Making in Higher Education Institutions

This study examines how university students perceive AI-powered tools for mediation in higher education, with a focus on the influence of communication richness and social presence on trust and the intention to use such systems. Although AI is increasingly used in educational settings, its role in handling academic mediation, where ethical sensitivity, empathy, and trust are essential, remains underexplored. To fill this gap, this study presents a model that integrates Media Richness Theory, Social Presence Theory, Technology Acceptance Models, and Trust Theory, incorporating digital fluency and conflict ambiguity as key moderating elements. Using a convergent mixed-methods design, the research involves 287 students from a variety of academic institutions. The quantitative findings indicate that students’ willingness to adopt AI mediation tools is significantly influenced by automation, efficiency, and trust, while their perceptions are shaped by how clearly the conflict is understood and by students’ digital skills. The qualitative insights reveal concerns about emotional responsiveness, transparency, and institutional capacity. According to the results, user trust rooted in perceived presence, fairness, and emotional connection is a central factor in terms of AI acceptance, and emotionally aware, transparent, algorithmic and context-sensitive design strategies should be a system-level priority for institutions when integrating AI mediation tools into academic environments.