Abstract

This study examined expert consensus on the future roles of agentic artificial intelligence (AI) in educational leadership and its implications for secondary school principals in Cross River State, Nigeria. Adopting a Delphi research design, data were collected from a panel of 20 experts in educational leadership, educational technology and policy over iterative rounds. Descriptive statistics, including mean and standard deviation, were used to determine consensus, while correlation analysis tested selected hypotheses. The findings revealed significant expert consensus on the projected roles of agentic AI, particularly in administrative decision-making, data-driven leadership, student performance monitoring, and stakeholder communication. Experts also agreed on the potential benefits of agentic AI, such as improved administrative efficiency, enhanced decision accuracy, and reduced workload for principals. However, notable challenges were identified, including inadequate infrastructure, limited digital literacy, data privacy and ethical concerns, and financial constraints. The study further highlighted important implications for principals’ professional development and policy frameworks, emphasizing the need for AI literacy, ethical leadership, and strategic capacity building. The study concludes that while agentic AI presents transformative opportunities for secondary school leadership, its successful adoption depends on addressing contextual, professional, and policy-related challenges.