Exploring the Intersection of Nursing Leadership and Artificial Intelligence: Scoping Review.

Background: As artificial intelligence (AI) technology permeates health care settings, nurse leaders must position themselves to shape its development, implementation, and impact, guiding meaningful change that benefits nurses and care delivery. Nurse leaders possess the capacity to influence decisions, shape practice, and ensure the delivery of ethical, safe, and high-quality care. While AI technology is reshaping many aspects of health care delivery, there is limited knowledge on how nurse leaders perceive and experience this shift. Objective: This scoping review aimed to explore the intersection of nursing leadership and AI technology in health care by mapping current evidence, identifying key concepts, and highlighting knowledge gaps within the literature. Methods: This scoping review was guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and reported on using the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews) checklist. A systematic search of 4 electronic databases (CINAHL [EBSCO Information Services], Ovid MEDLINE [Wolters Kluwer], PsycINFO [American Psychological Association], and Scopus [Elsevier]) was conducted for English-language, peer-reviewed literature published between 2014 and 2025. Gray literature was also reviewed. Articles were included if they met the inclusion criteria by exploring the population of nurse leaders and the concept of AI technology within the context of health care settings and were published in English from May 2014 forward. A total of 26 articles were included in the analysis. Qualitative content analysis and numerical summary supported the inductive identification and synthesis of data categories. Results: Of the 26 articles included, 8 were empirical (qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods), and 18 were conceptual or theoretical articles. Although 1 article was Canadian, there were no empirical studies conducted by Canadian researchers. The qualitative content analysis of the primary search findings revealed 6 overarching data categories: (1) leading digital transformation and technology integration, (2) AI technology and the nursing role: reshaping practice, (3) ethical considerations of AI technology for nurse leaders, (4) AI technology as a facilitator of innovative leadership, (5) education and training on AI technology in nursing practice, and (6) influence of AI technology on the work environment. Conclusions: This review confirms that nurse leaders play an essential role in shaping the future of health care in the context of AI technology. Although this review highlights a growing recognition of nursing leadership as a crucial driver of AI technology integration in health care, there is a lack of research to guide practice, policy, and leadership development through education, despite emerging interest and a recent increase in empirical work. The findings accentuate the need for increased investment in nurse-led research and leadership development to ensure that AI systems are designed, implemented, and evaluated in a manner that upholds ethical care, equity, and professional nursing values. As health care systems increasingly adopt AI technology, nurse leaders must be equipped with the knowledge, tools, and support required to lead transformative change and act as AI technology directors.