Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is causing widespread disruption across the higher education sector. Yet, disruptions are more than just challenges: they are also opportunities to innovate and improve.
In many cases, the implementation of GenAI in teaching and curricula is being led by business schools. These institutions often find themselves at the forefront of technological transformation because they operate at the border between higher education and the international business landscape.
As organizations explore ways to deploy GenAI in a range of logistical and strategic roles, business schools must also keep pace with this rapidly developing technology to ensure they are equipping students with the skills they need to step into leadership roles after graduating.
Deans embrace GenAI, while faculty are more cautious
As the world’s foremost accrediting body for business schools, AACSB International is playing a central role in guiding schools through this technological shift. Through its recent surveys of Deans and faculty across more than 50 countries, AACSB is not only tracking the adoption of GenAI but also helping institutions shape their strategies for the future.
While Deans have a slightly more optimistic outlook towards GenAI adoption at their schools than faculty, openness to working with the technology is widespread. In total, 84 percent of Deans and 80 percent of faculty say they fully embrace the idea of using GenAI in their work.
However, the two groups are more split when it comes to their views on the specific ways GenAI is used. Only 35 percent of faculty report that they believe their school encourages them to use GenAI in administrative processes, whereas 65 percent of deans say they think this is the case.
The findings suggest that Deans’ enthusiasm for embedding GenAI in their schools’ administrative, teaching, and research practices have not yet been fully embraced by faculty.
In much the same way that defining appropriate roles for this technology has sparked debate in the business community, it has sparked both curiosity and caution, pushing educators to rethink how they teach, assess, and innovate.
Optimism and apprehension are finely balanced across many of the surveyed business schools, with Deans and faculty alike suggesting GenAI could be viewed as a double-edged sword.
On one hand, its ability to process and summarise vast quantities of data instantaneously, generate new case studies and other course materials, and even act as a debate partner or artificial teaching assistant, could be harnessed to create more immersive learning experiences that help students develop creative and critical thinking skills.
On the other, there is a possibility that students may become over-reliant on GenAI, using it to write assignments or conduct research without properly critically analysing the resulting outputs.
The potential for GenAI use to result in either outcome highlights the importance of careful curriculum design and a mission-focused approach to AI implementation.
How is GenAI being deployed in higher education?
Common uses for GenAI in course activities include generating exercises or case studies, creating visual or multimedia content, and developing personalised lesson plans.
The potential for this technology to assist teachers in creating learning opportunities that are tailored to the needs of individual students is also reflected in 10 percent of faculty using GenAI to enhance student engagement and feedback on a weekly basis.
Using GenAI to translate spoken languages and strengthen communication is another example of schools crafting an approach to implementing digital tools that empowers human connection.
AI adoption in curricula is becoming widespread, with 78 percent of business schools having now integrated AI elements, according to the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC).
Yet, AACSB data shows that only seven percent of faculty consider themselves to be experts in using GenAI for teaching.
The strong correlation between faculty who report greater proficiency with this technology and those who often use it in the classroom suggests that, as business schools integrate GenAI into course content and teaching practices, it is vital to offer additional training opportunities to faculty.
Untapped potential for faculty training
In fact, both faculty and Deans are turning to a mix of training opportunities to build their understanding of GenAI, with clear preferences emerging for flexible, self-directed options as well as institutional support.
Self-taught tutorials and practice videos are the most popular, with 61 percent of Deans and 69 percent of faculty saying they have explored this type of training. Workshops and seminars were also relatively popular, with a slight inclination towards classes offered by business schools or universities over those run by external organizations.
At the opposite end of the scale, only 7-10 percent of faculty and Deans say they have pursued a formal course or certification in GenAI. This signals a possible gap in the market for more robust, credentialed learning pathways. Business schools should explore opportunities to develop more structured learning opportunities for all staff who will be required to work with GenAI as it spreads throughout the curriculum.
GenAI technology is evolving at an extraordinary pace, pushing businesses and business schools alike to transform the way they operate. In the education sphere, GenAI strategy is primarily being led by Deans and faculty committees. Of these two groups, Deans express a slightly more optimistic outlook towards adopting these new digital tools, though both camps acknowledge the potential challenges.
In the spirit of innovation and continuous improvement, schools and faculty are seeking out new opportunities to become familiar with what this technology can accomplish so it can be used more effectively to enhance students’ learning experiences.
As GenAI reshapes the landscape of business education, forward-thinking schools are seizing the opportunity to lead. By embedding AI thoughtfully and training educators to use it with purpose, they are preparing students to thrive in a tech-driven future and redefining what it means to lead in a changing world.
