In the AI era of Economy 5.0, leadership decision-making processes are undergoing significant transformation, characterized by more profound integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and a shift towards more collaborative, data-driven approaches. This evolution highlights the importance of human judgment in conjunction with AI capabilities, fostering a dynamic interplay between leadership and technology. Leaders face significant decision-making challenges as we integrate AI across various industry sectors, as implementing AI into organisational frameworks imposes a re-evaluation of leadership strategies to ensure human dimensions are at the forefront of leaders’ decision processes. The importance of real-world human experience, intuition, and human skills in decision-making in complex and non-standardised tasks is acknowledged in Industry 5.0 (Nahavandi, 2019), as human judgment is essential to evaluate them properly (Agrawal et al., 2019).

The Role of AI in Leadership Decision-Making
AI can play a significant role in organizational leaders’ decision processes. Its contributions include enhanced data processing, agility, and adaptability of leadership styles, as well as strategic alignment and risk management in organizations.  
Enhanced Data Processing refers to AI's capability to process vast amounts of data instantly, allowing leaders to identify patterns and insights that support their strategic decisions. This data-driven approach can lead to faster and more accurate decision-making, enabling leaders to anticipate market trends and respond proactively to market demands.
Agility and Adaptability - as organizations face rapidly changing market conditions, AI empowers leaders to adopt more agile leadership styles. Decisions can be based on informed by real-time data, allowing businesses to capitalize on fleeting opportunities and navigate challenges effectively. This dynamic decision-making environment fosters a culture of innovation where leaders can experiment with new strategies without the fear of significant setbacks.
Strategic Alignment and Risk Management - AI facilitates strategic alignment by providing insights into other organizations' activities and shifting customer demands. Leaders with AI support can predict potential obstacles and formulate action plans that mitigate risks while seizing opportunities. Moreover, AI enhances risk management by identifying vulnerabilities in current business models, allowing optimal readiness for unforeseen disruptions in the market.

Key Features of Leadership Decision-Making in Economy 5.0
When it comes to pivotal features of leadership decision-making in Economy 5.0 the following characteristics can be specified: enhanced decision-making capabilities, agile and adaptive leadership, collaborative decision-making, as well as ethical considerations and responsible AI use.

1. Enhanced Decision-Making Capabilities
AI tools are increasingly being applied to improve leaders’ decision-making quality and speed. Leaders can leverage predictive analytics, sentiment analysis, and machine learning algorithms to gain insights into complex market trends and consumer behaviors. Consequently, this data-driven approach allows for more informed decisions that enable foreseeing future challenges and opportunities, moving beyond the traditional reliance on historical data and intuition in leaders’ decision processes.

2. Agile and Adaptive Leadership
The fast-paced nature of Economy 5.0 requires agility from leaders. AI facilitates real-time data processing, enabling leaders to respond promptly to changing market conditions and consumer preferences. This adaptability is crucial for organizations that capitalize on momentary opportunities and build the capacity to endure disruptions appropriately.

3. Collaborative Decision-Making
AI fosters an inclusive leadership style by democratizing access to information across organizations. Leaders are encouraged to engage teams in decision-making processes, using AI insights to guide discussions rather than dictate outcomes. This collaborative approach empowers employees and enhances organizational transparency and innovation.

4. Ethical Considerations and Responsible AI Use
As leaders integrate AI into their decision-making frameworks, ethical considerations become paramount. Issues such as algorithmic bias, data privacy, and the potential for exacerbating inequalities must be addressed. Leaders are tasked with ensuring that AI is used responsibly, maintaining a balance between ethical governance and technological advancement.

Conclusion:
AI has transformed leaders’ decision-making processes in Economy 5.0 by providing real-time data analytics and predictive models that allow leaders to anticipate future trends and outcomes. AI’s ability to analyse large datasets instantly has given rise to data-driven decision-making (Reez, 2020), which is faster and more accurate. Leaders can apply AI to simulate different strategic scenarios and their potential outcomes, enabling them to make proactive rather than reactive decisions. However, the maintenance of fundamental human traits in leadership remains crucial. Empathy, inventiveness, and decision-making require the correct balance between human judgment and AI-driven insights in leaders' decision processes (Madanchian et al., 2024). While AI significantly enhances leaders’ decision-making capabilities, ethical considerations are paramount. Leaders must ensure that AI systems are designed to uphold ethical standards, particularly regarding sustainability, inclusivity, and corporate social responsibility. The challenge lies in balancing human judgment with the strengths of AI, ensuring that technology complements rather than replaces human insight in critical decision processes.