ABSTRACT;- Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming higher education by reshaping instructional delivery, faculty engagement, institutional decision-making, and workforce preparation. Although established educational technology frameworks, including the Technology Integration Matrix (TIM), Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK), the ASSURE instructional design model, the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards, and the Triple E Framework, provide valuable guidance for integrating technology into teaching and learning, they primarily emphasize instructional practices rather than the strategic leadership conditions necessary for sustainable institutional transformation. As colleges and universities accelerate AI adoption, many continue to face challenges related to organizational readiness, faculty resistance, professional development, governance, and the ethical implementation of emerging technologies.

This conceptual article proposes the AI-Enabled Learning Leadership Framework (AELLF), an interdisciplinary model that integrates transformational leadership, psychological safety, organizational learning, faculty AI readiness, technology integration, student engagement, workforce preparedness, and institutional innovation into a comprehensive framework for leading AI-enabled transformation in higher education. The framework contends that sustainable technology integration depends not only on technological competence but also on leadership practices that cultivate trust, collaboration, continuous learning, and an institutional culture that supports innovation.

Drawing upon strategic leadership theory, transformational leadership, psychological safety, organizational learning, and contemporary educational technology literature, this article synthesizes existing scholarship to explain how leadership behaviors influence faculty adoption of AI-enabled instructional practices and contribute to improved institutional effectiveness. By positioning leadership as the catalyst connecting technology integration to organizational performance, the proposed framework extends existing educational technology models and provides a strategic perspective for institutional leaders navigating digital transformation.

The article concludes with practical recommendations for higher education administrators seeking to build AI-ready institutions through strategic planning, faculty development, organizational learning, and ethical AI governance. It also identifies future research opportunities for empirically validating the AI-Enabled Learning Leadership Framework across diverse institutional settings. By bridging strategic leadership and educational technology scholarship, this article offers a novel conceptual model that advances understanding of sustainable AI-enabled transformation in higher education.

Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Strategic Leadership, Higher Education, Technology Integration, Transformational Leadership, Psychological Safety, Organizational Learning, Faculty Readiness, Digital Transformation, Innovation.