Syncretic Leadership - The Genesis of a New Leadership Model for the AI Age and Global Multicultural Workforce in an Era of Continuous Change

In the context of prompt and imminent digital acceleration and the rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI), leadership theory is shifting toward what this study defines as Syncretic Leadership. This emerging framework integrates and combines cognitive agility, algorithmic collaboration, and a culturally fused workforce as foundational attributes for navigating hybrid human-machine environments. Moving beyond classical paradigms embedded in human-centred rationality, cultural or emotional intelligence, Syncretic leadership reflects a convergence of artificial knowledge, digital fluency, data-informed judgment, and transcultural adaptability, within a fast and continuously changing environment. Through a comparative conceptual analysis and bibliometric mapping of recent scholarly discourse on AI-enabled decision-making and cross-cultural leadership dynamics—conducted using the VOSviewer software —this paper identifies key thematic clusters and intellectual trajectories that signal the formation of this new and unique model. The conclusions point to a growing consensus that effective leadership in the AI era requires harmonising human intuition with machine precision while cultivating inclusive, globally resonant management practices and a new approach to knowledge dynamics. This article contributes to the continuous academic and business debates by articulating the ontological boundaries and ethical tensions posed by the newly launched syncretic leadership model, offering a forward-looking perspective for scholars and practitioners.