AI Is Not the Answer: You Are - The Executive Framework for AI Integration and Strategy
Document Type
Dissertation
Publication Date
Spring 5-3-2025
Keywords
Artificial Intelligence, Ethical AI Governance, Strategic Foresight, Executive Leadership, Organizational transformation, AI Risk Management
Abstract
This doctoral project addresses the urgent need for principled leadership in the age of artificial intelligence (AI), offering a strategic framework that equips executives to integrate AI responsibly across diverse industries. While AI presents unparalleled opportunities in efficiency, insight generation, and scalability, it also introduces ethical, operational, and cultural challenges that threaten organizational integrity and stakeholder trust. This project identifies critical gaps in existing AI integration strategies, particularly the lack of ethical foresight, culturally responsive design, and the undervaluing of human-centric leadership. The research explores how executive leadership can navigate these complexities by reframing AI not as a solution, but as a tool requiring deliberate, values-based stewardship. Using a multi-case study approach supported by scenario planning, ethical risk modeling, and organizational assessment tools, the framework synthesizes best practices in AI governance, workforce adaptation, and strategic alignment. Findings demonstrate that success in AI deployment hinges on ethical oversight, inclusive implementation, and adaptive leadership. The resulting framework enables leaders to measure AI effectiveness, mitigate unintended bias, and align innovation with organizational mission. This work defines the leadership-driven model for AI integration, grounded in strategic foresight and whole-person management, offering a replicable roadmap for organizational transformation.
Recommended Citation
O'Brien, Sean Patrick, "AI Is Not the Answer: You Are - The Executive Framework for AI Integration and Strategy" (2025). College of Arts and Cultural Studies Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL) Projects. 14.
https://digitalshowcase.oru.edu/coacs_dsl_projects/14
Comments
Author Orchid Number: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4895-7931