Artificial Intelligence and Digital Leadership: Mapping Research Trends and Thematic Patterns

Abstract Digital transformation has accelerated the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into organizational processes, reshaping leadership practices across industries. Therefore, this study utilizes bibliometric analysis to examine the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence in leadership research. This study conducts a biblio-metric analysis of 60 articles retrieved from the Dimensions.ai database (2019–2025*), utilizing the Bibliometrix package in RStudio. The study provides essential insights by examining publishing trends, prominent authors and sources, thematic developments, and collaboration networks, and trending topics within AI and leadership. The findings illustrate that the publishing trends revealed a significant and rapid growth in research output over the years. Moreover, the analysis of prominent authors and sources highlights the most influential works that have had a substantial impact on the field. Thematic mapping identifies six significant research clusters, with “AI, leadership, and digital transformation” serving as a motor theme. Collaboration networks uncover limited but growing international collaboration, with the United States and China exhibiting the most robust partnerships. Furthermore, trending keywords such as “artificial intelligence,” “leadership,” and “digital transformation” indicate ongoing research interest and signal directions for future research. This study not only maps the existing knowledge structure but also offers valuable insights that can inspire future research directions regarding the evolving role of leadership in the age of artificial intelligence.