AI-Enabled Succession Planning in Large Enterprises

Succession planning represents one of the most strategic yet complex dimensions of human resource management (HRM) in
large enterprises. As organizations become more dependent on data analytics and automation, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative tool for identifying, assessing, and developing future leaders. However, the integration of AI into leadership succession introduces
both promise and peril: while AI can enhance objectivity, speed, and foresight in decision-making, it also raises critical questions about fairness, transparency, bias, and ethical governance. This conceptual and theoretical study
examines the evolving landscape of AI-enabled succession planning, emphasizing the human and ethical dimensions of
technology-assisted decision-making. Drawing on theories of strategic HRM,ethical leadership, and socio-technical
systems, the chapter develops a Human-AI Collaborative Leadership Framework (HAIL-F) that balances algorithmic
precision with human judgment and moral accountability. It argues that the future of succession planning depends not solely on predictive analytics but on the ethical synergy between machines and human discernment, ensuring leadership continuity that is data-informed, value-driven, and socially responsible.