.This study aimed to investigate teachers' perceptions regarding the redefinition of their leadership roles in the wake of artificial intelligence (AI) integration into educational environments, and to identify the competencies required to sustain these roles. Despite the growing adoption of AI in teaching and learning, its implications for teacher leadership remain insufficiently investigated. A qualitative research design was adopted, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 lower- and upper-secondary school teachers in Kurdistan Province, Iran. Participants were purposively selected based on having at least one year of experience using AI in the teaching-learning process, five or more years of teaching experience, and self-identification as teacher leaders. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that teachers' perceptions of AI's implications for their leadership diverged into two distinct pathways: five participants perceived AI as a catalyst for expanding teacher leadership, whereas the remaining seven participants expressed concerns over a decline in professional autonomy, reduced interpersonal interaction, and diminished collective learning among educators. Furthermore, five emerging competencies were identified: AI Technological-Pedagogical Competence, Self-Direction in Continuing Professional Development, Facilitation of Professional Learning Networks, Evidence-Based Pedagogical Decision-Making, and Human Agency and Pedagogical Ethics. These findings suggest that the transition toward AI-driven education must not be confined to operational tool training; rather, it should pivot toward preserving pedagogical agency, professional judgment, collaboration, and the human dimensions of education. These insights can serve as a foundation for redesigning teacher professional development programs and guiding school-level AI implementation policies.