AI Leadership Without Integration: Human–AI Misalignment in Innovation Processes and Outcomes

This study examines the relationship between AI leadership, human-centered inde-pendence, and organizational innovation processes and outcomes, challenging the prevailing assumption that leadership-driven AI adoption automatically enhances performance. The research draws on a dual-structured model of AI leader-ship—AI-driven innovation leadership (Sun) and reflective AI governance leadership (Moon)—to assess whether these approaches contribute to human capability development and innovation performance. Data were collected from 2,754 respondents across diverse organizational contexts using a structured survey. The measurement model was validated through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, and the hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results show that none of the proposed positive relationships are empirically supported. Both lead-ership dimensions do not exert significant effects on human-centered independence or innovation performance, while the only significant relationship is negative, indicating that human-centered independence, when not integrated with AI, is associated with reduced innovation outcomes. The absence of mediation and negligible explained variance further confirm the lack of an integrated causal structure. These findings challenge linear models of AI leadership by demonstrating that the coexistence of AI-oriented leadership and human-centered capabilities does not ensure their integration. The study introduces the AI–Human Misalignment Framework, highlighting that innovation outcomes depend on alignment rather than the mere presence of capabilities.