From digital transformation to intelligent classrooms: artificial intelligence, adaptive leadership, and service delivery in global higher education—a systematic literature review

A systematic literature review, following PRISMA guidelines, analyzed peer-reviewed studies published between 2019 and 2024 to synthesize global evidence on AI-driven transformation in higher education. The review aims to integrate understanding of how artificial intelligence, adaptive leadership, and digital infrastructure readiness collectively influence service delivery outcomes within the sector, addressing the current fragmentation of scholarly evidence.

Why it matters

This review consolidates fragmented knowledge regarding AI's impact on higher education, highlighting the interplay between technology, leadership, and infrastructure. Understanding these dynamics is critical for strategic planning and effective implementation of AI to enhance service delivery and institutional operations.

Key insights

• Artificial intelligence is fundamentally altering global higher education in teaching, learning, administrative processes, and institutional service delivery.
• Scholarly evidence on AI integration in higher education is fragmented across disciplines.
• There is a need for an integrated understanding of the combined impact of AI integration, adaptive leadership, and digital infrastructure readiness on service delivery outcomes.
• The review utilized a systematic methodology, including PRISMA guidelines and specific database searches (Scopus, Web of Science, IEEE Xplore, SpringerLink, ScienceDirect).

Source

Frontiers in Education — https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1899369