Phoenix Scholar issue puts institutional trust at center of AI and work research

Trust as the central theme

According to University of Phoenix, the Summer/Fall 2026 issue explores the changing relationship between people, technology and work. It brings together perspectives on artificial intelligence (AI), professional practice, leadership, learning and the human dimensions of technological change.

In his opening editorial, Mark McCaslin, PhD, considers how organizations can build trust while workers deal with rapid technological change, workplace uncertainty and concerns about autonomy. McCaslin is editor-in-chief of Phoenix Scholar and associate chair of the Center for Leadership and Entrepreneurial Research (CLER) at University of Phoenix.

"Technological change is raising important questions not only about what organizations can do with AI, but about how people experience that change and whether they feel they have a meaningful role in shaping it," McCaslin said, according to the university's announcement.

What the 16 contributions cover

The university groups the contributions into four areas:

• Career optimism and the future of work: One article synthesizes findings from five years of University of Phoenix Career Optimism Index research. Another, on psychological capital, examines the relationship between workforce research and psychological resources.
• AI, autonomy and institutional trust: Articles look at workforce development strategies for AI adoption, engagement in AI-enabled workplaces, systems-level approaches to autonomy and trust, lessons from entrepreneurs about AI, and whether AI represents workforce revolution or disruption.
• Education and resilience: Research addresses STEM teacher self-efficacy and burnout, inclusion for preschool children with autism spectrum disorder, trauma-informed care in alternative education settings, and mindfulness and resilience in higher education.
• Leadership and professional practice: Contributions examine performance calibration and career momentum, entrepreneurial perspectives on AI, and trusted approaches to learning and leadership through two book reviews.

The university says the breadth reflects the issue's central premise that institutional trust is shaped not by technology alone, but through leadership practices, opportunities for autonomy and development, psychological capital and everyday experiences within organizations.

Open access and DOAJ inclusion

Phoenix Scholar showcases scholarship by University of Phoenix faculty and alumni and serves as a platform for sharing research results. The journal is now open access, so its content can be read, downloaded, searched and shared without charge. Researchers are also not charged to publish in it.

The university says Phoenix Scholar has recently been accepted for inclusion in the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), an internationally recognized directory of peer-reviewed, open-access scholarly journals. According to the university, this enhances the journal's visibility in the global research community and reflects its adherence to established standards for open-access publishing. Articles are published under a Creative Commons license, and authors retain copyright to their work.

What it means for readers

For readers interested in how AI affects workers, the issue offers free access to research that approaches the topic through trust, autonomy and leadership rather than technology alone. Because the content can be downloaded and shared without charge, it is available to practitioners and researchers outside the university. The DOAJ listing, as the university describes it, is intended to make the journal easier to find for the wider research community.