AI Now Widespread in Business School Curriculum: Report
Credit: skynesher / Getty Images- The business school curriculum is shifting to accommodate AI and other emerging technologies, according to a new report from the Graduate Business Curriculum Roundtable.
- Rapidly changing expectations from students and employers present a challenge for business schools.
- AI and data analytics are set to become core components of business education, and flexibility will be key, according to the report.
- Business schools have already overhauled their curriculum to focus on AI.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has reordered business education, and a new report found that it’s here to stay.
A report from the Graduate Business Curriculum Roundtable found that AI innovation and sustainable enterprise — which includes AI, sustainable practices, and entrepreneurial innovation — were cited among top priorities for business schools across the business education landscape.
The Roundtable surveyed 110 business schools that enroll more than 112,000 students and found that AI innovation and sustainable enterprise repeated as part of an emerging curriculum for all manner of business schools regardless of their size or where they were located.
Technology and AI integration were also the most common topics discussed by surveyed business schools when asked what the future of business education will look like.
“Over the next decade, business school curricula will undergo a
significant transformation, driven by technology, market demands, and
changing student expectations,” the report reads. “AI and data analytics will become core components of business education, both as subjects of study and as tools to enhance learning experiences.”
The rapid embrace of AI has taken many forms in business education. Some schools, like the Arizona State University (ASU) W.P. Carey School of Business, have rolled out AI-focused degrees.
ASU and other major institutions like Rutgers Business School and the American University Kogod School of Business have partnered with AI providers like OpenAI, Google, and Perplexity to give students and staff access to key AI tools.
Still other schools, like the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, have announced major investments in AI and AI-focused majors within their programs. Some institutions, including Kogod, have moved to infuse AI throughout their curriculum.
The emphasis on AI in the new Roundtable report is no surprise: 2024 Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) research found that only 22% of business schools hadn’t implemented some form of AI into student learning.
The rise of AI, however, doesn’t mean the traditional strategy and leadership focus on business education isn’t still relevant. The Roundtable report also further confirms another piece of previous GMAC research: Soft skills will continue to be important.
Experiential and application-based learning, as well as a greater emphasis on soft skills, were also highly cited by business schools as to what the future of business education will look like.
“At the same time, the importance of soft skills, experiential learning,
and interdisciplinary education will grow,” the report reads. “Business schools must ensure that graduates not only understand technological advancements but also develop critical thinking, leadership, and ethical decision-making skills.”
Flexibility Is Here to Stay
Another key trend in business education since the pandemic has been the rise of flexible, online degrees.
Master of business administration (MBA) degrees in particular are increasingly geared toward working professionals and feature online, asynchronous courses that allow students to work toward their degree without putting their career on pause.
That trend is set to continue, according to the report, which found that a shift to online, hybrid, and flexible learning models was second only to AI in how business schools expect the future business curriculum to change.
“Traditional degree structures will give way to flexible, modular, and personalized learning paths, with more emphasis on stackable credentials and microcredentials,” the report reads.
Business schools across the higher education landscape have debuted online certificates and credentials geared toward working professionals in recent years.
That includes Harvard Business School Online, which has moved to offer longer, more in-depth credentials in areas like digital innovation in addition to its short-term certificates.