AI Unleashed: Transforming Business Education for Tomorrow's Leaders

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping every facet of business, from operational efficiency and decision-making to innovation and ethical leadership. With more than 90 percent of Fortune 500 companies globally deploying AI solutions, the need for AI-savvy business graduates is pressing. However, India's premier business schools reveal a nuanced and evolving story around AI adoption. While AI tools are gaining traction in teaching and research, faculty expertise and confidence remain limited, revealing critical gaps that must be addressed to prepare India's future business leaders adequately.

- Dr Karthick Sridhar

The AI Imperative for Modern Business Education

AI drives exponential productivity gains, more intelligent analytics, and new business models across industries. Job postings globally that specify AI and data analytics skills have tripled over the last two years, and Indian businesses are increasingly seeking graduates who are adept in these areas. Employing AI for strategic advantage has moved from a luxury to a necessity: whether optimizing supply chains, powering fintech innovations, or personalizing customer experiences at scale, AI is embedded in contemporary business models.

Globally, fewer than 30 percent of business graduates feel prepared to work confidently with AI tools. In India, this figure is even lower, partly due to challenges in the pace of curriculum updates and faculty training. A recent survey of faculty members from India's top business schools found that only 7 percent identify as AI experts, and barely half (51%) believe AI currently has a positive impact on student learning, highlighting an urgent need for robust AI curricula and academic leadership in Indian management education.

Curriculum Overhaul: What Should Be Taught?

Leading business institutions, such as the Wharton School, Harvard, and MIT Sloan, are not only teaching AI as an add-on but also embedding it into the core of their programs. AI education today must be holistic: technical skills are critical, but ethical considerations, strategic thinking, and communication skills must be woven throughout.

In India, while a few leading Indian business schools have begun incorporating AI into electives and executive courses, there remains a call for integrating AI across the entire curriculum, reflecting the growing digital economy and AI innovation ecosystems in cities such as Bengaluru and Hyderabad.

The objective of an AI-integrated business curriculum should be multidimensional.