International Journal of Emerging Research in Engineering, Science, and Management
Vol. 5, Issue 3, pp. 97-109, Jul-Sep 2026.
https://doi.org/10.58482/ijeresm.v5i3.7

Received: 02 May 2026 | Revised: 19 Aug 2026 | Accepted: 25 Aug 2026 | Published: 09 Sep 2026

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Artificial Intelligence and Leadership: The Contribution of Sense of Belonging and Psychological Need Fulfilment

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1Sarah John

2S. Amudhan

1Research Scholar, St Joseph’s University, 36, Lalbagh Road, Bengaluru-27, India.

2Assistant Professor, Department of Management, St Joseph’s University, 36, Lalbagh Road, Bengaluru-27, India.

Abstract: This paper examines the relationships among artificial intelligence, leadership, sense of belonging, and psychological need fulfilment among employees working in hybrid mode. It draws on self-determination theory to examine psychological need fulfilment and sense of belonging in relation to leadership perceptions, with artificial intelligence examined as a mediating variable. The study is limited to IT employees working in hybrid mode in Bengaluru, India. Using purposive sampling, 500 questionnaires were distributed, 410 responses were received, and 400 completed and valid responses were used for analysis. The proposed research model was analyzed using SPSS and AMOS software programs with structural equation modelling and mediation testing based on 5000 bootstrap resamples and bias-corrected 95% bootstrap confidence intervals. The findings show that sense of belonging (β = .381, p < .001), psychological need fulfilment (β = .318, p < .001), and artificial intelligence (β = .113, p = .013) are significantly and positively related to leadership. Psychological need fulfilment is positively associated with AI (β = .551, p < .001), whereas sense of belonging is significantly negatively associated with AI (β = −.097, p = .036). Artificial intelligence significantly mediates the relationship between psychological need fulfilment and leadership through a positive indirect effect (β = .062, 95% BC CI [.011, .120], p = .018). Artificial intelligence also mediates the relationship between sense of belonging and leadership (β = −.011, 95% BC CI [−.031, −.001], p = .034). The study concludes that artificial intelligence mediates the relationships of psychological need fulfilment and sense of belonging with leadership among employees working in hybrid mode. It highlights the importance of maintaining meaningful human interaction alongside the use of artificial intelligence. The findings also contribute to applying self-determination theory to understanding leadership perceptions among employees working in hybrid mode.

Keywords: Artificial intelligence, hybrid work, leadership, psychological need fulfilment, sense of belonging.

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