Artificial intelligence and organizational resilience: the mediating role of agility, innovation, and digital leadership

Purpose This study investigates how the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in strategic processes contributes to organizational resilience. Specifically, it examines the mediating roles of organizational agility, innovation capability, and leadership competency in digital strategy in translating AI investments into sustainable resilience. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative research design was employed using a purposive sample of 328 managerial respondents from diverse industries. Data was collected through an online survey and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) in SmartPLS 4. Validated multi-item Likert scales were applied to measure AI adoption, agility, innovation, digital leadership, and resilience. Findings The results demonstrate that AI adoption has both direct and indirect effects on organizational resilience. While AI adoption directly enhances resilience, its impact is significantly amplified through the mediating mechanisms of agility, innovation, and digital leadership. Innovation capability emerged as the most potent mediator, underscoring the importance of AI-enabled innovation for long-term adaptability and resilience. Agility and digital leadership also played critical roles in enabling firms to withstand disruptions and sustain competitiveness in turbulent environments. Research limitations/implications The study is limited by its cross-sectional design and reliance on self-reported data from a single regional context. Future research should employ longitudinal and cross-country comparative designs to assess the dynamics of AI adoption and resilience over time. Additional mediators, such as absorptive capacity and organizational culture, may further enrich the model. Practical implications For practitioners and policymakers, the findings underscore the need for AI adoption to be complemented by strategic capabilities that foster resilience. Executives should integrate AI with organizational structures that foster agility, innovation, and leadership development. Originality/value This study provides empirical evidence demonstrating that AI alone does not yield resilience. Instead, resilience emerges when AI adoption is embedded within dynamic organizational capabilities and leadership competencies.