Growing executive interest in the commercial implications of generative artificial intelligence is prompting business schools to offer a number of new courses that teach digital understanding and skills.
A survey of nearly 10,000 learners in 40 countries published this month by education consultant Carrington Crisp found that almost half of respondents expect to learn about AI in the next five years. . Alongside traditional business skills, other digital subjects were also prevalent, including cyber security (cited by 33 percent), digital marketing (31 percent), e-commerce (29 percent), and data analysis (26 percent).
The advent of tools such as Microsoft-backed OpenAI's ChatGPT, released in November 2022, is encouraging organizations across the private and public sectors to experiment with generative AI. As a result, business schools are reporting a strong appetite for technology-focused, short-course executive education programs, whether open enrollment or customized for companies.
Annette Saller, director of program and project management at German medical device manufacturer Hartmann Group, began to see the need for a holistic view of generative AI, beyond the hype.
“AI is about more than just generating text and images,” Saller said, adding that her employer is deploying technology to both innovate products and improve operations.

Last year, by signing up for Insead's Transforming Your Business with AI program (priced at €1,850 and delivered online over five weeks), Salah was able to dispel misconceptions and gain deeper insight into how to leverage AI in business. I was able to get it. “People often think of AI as a magic wand,” she suggests. “When you graduate from this program, you will be able to solve that mystery.”
While some benefits are obvious, such as automating tasks, generating insights, and increasing efficiency, realizing AI's full potential requires careful understanding, implementation, and management.
Anat Lechner, clinical professor of management and organizations at New York University's Stern School of Business, believes training in this is essential. she says: “We have to teach people how to run their businesses with AI, otherwise AI won’t exist.”
Professor Lechner will be teaching Leading in the Age of AI in a two-day program in New York priced at $3,344. She observes executives' desire for knowledge. Demand for this course, which launched in April, far exceeds supply. “We couldn't fit enough people in the room,” she says.
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Business schools are revamping their course portfolios to meet this demand. They now offer knowledge and skills related to topics such as cybersecurity and digital transformation, reflecting how technology has become a top concern for executives.
“It is no longer true that IT is a support function. Technology plays a fundamental role in defining the strategy,” says Academic Director of the Digital Transformation: Senior Management Program at Spain's Ise Business School. said Javier Zamora. This 14,500 euro course will be conducted both online and in Barcelona and Madrid.
But Julian Birkinshaw, outgoing deputy dean at London Business School, acknowledges the cyclical nature of the demand for new technology in education. “We see this every time: something gets talked about and people have to respond to it,” he says. “A few years ago it was blockchain. Right now, it's all about generative AI.”
LBS is adapting courses and developing new services, including the Next Generation Digital Strategies program launched in April. Birkinshaw says the challenge for training providers is to separate hype from reality when developing programs.
“A few years ago we were talking about Web3, but nothing really happened,” he points out. This is a vague term that refers to a decentralized version of the Internet. “We're very conscious that things are always overhyped.”
A second problem for business schools is that the dizzying speed of technological development has shortened the shelf life of content. “Given how quickly things are changing, it's impossible for executives to know what it means for them,” said Theos Evgeniou, professor of decision science and technology management at Insead. says. “We can’t just wait for the next program in a year.”
For this reason, INSEAD has developed a new “compensatory” course, “AI Executive Forum,” which will be held over three half-day sessions in June. The course costs €2,990 and focuses on understanding the latest AI advances and their impact on business. But Evgeniou cautions executives not to lose sight of the fundamental aspects of technology, such as IT infrastructure and data management.
He suggests that focusing too much on the noise surrounding AI can prevent us from understanding the broader context and impact. “AI is so hyped that sometimes we miss the forest for the trees.”
Still, the final challenge for training providers is finding enough experts in emerging technologies, including AI, to teach their courses.
Therefore, the MIT Sloan School of Management looks beyond its departments. We feature professors from the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Institute to offer the “Artificial Intelligence: Implications for Business Strategy” program. The course is conducted online over six weeks and costs him $3,500.
“We are doing our best to keep up with supply-side demand, but there is a lack of expertise,” said Peter Hurst, Sloan senior associate dean for executive education.