Empowering the Workforce: Mediating Role of AI Acceptance in Transformational Leadership and Employee Outcomes

Abstract

The rapid integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into organizational processes has transformed contemporary workplaces, necessitating leadership approaches that facilitate employee acceptance of AI-driven systems. The purpose of this research is to examines influence of transformational leadership on job satisfaction, employee engagement, and quality of work life through AI acceptance as a mediating variable. Further, this study evaluate moderating role of training and development in relationship of transformational leadership and AI acceptance. The population of the study is employees from manufacturing and service sector. Convenience sampling technique is used to draw sample from the population. The sample size of the study is 511 employees. Results showed that transformational leadership positively influence the AI acceptance. Results also revealed that AI acceptance positively influence the job satisfaction, employee engagement, and quality of work life. It is further revealed that AI acceptance mediate the relationship between transformational leadership and job satisfaction, employee engagement and quality of work life. At last, result showed that training and development moderate the relationship between transformational leadership and AI acceptance. This means training and development strengthen the relation between transformational leadership and AI acceptance. Training and development help the organizations to accept AI technology with transformational leadership. This research provides valuable guidance for organizational leaders, HR professionals, and policymakers in large-scale Pakistani enterprises across manufacturing, technology, and service sectors. By highlighting the role of transformational leadership in fostering AI acceptance, the study emphasizes the importance of leadership development programs designed to enhance employees’ readiness for technological change.