AI INTEGRATION IN BUSINESS SCHOOLS GROWS AMID RISING DEMAND FOR TECH-SAVVY GRADUATES - GMAC

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 26 (Bernama) -- More than three quarters of Master of Business Administration (MBA) and business master’s programmes have integrated artificial intelligence (AI) into their curricula, according to a recent survey by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC).

The survey highlights that AI is being incorporated with a focus on its role in business ethics, decision-making, practical applications, and strategy development, according to GMAC in a statement.

Since the rise of generative AI prompted by the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in late November 2022, business schools are responding to prospective students’ growing expectations for AI in their coursework and employers’ projected demand for AI competencies in the coming years.

“There is no doubt that business schools have taken it up a notch in responding to market imperatives in technological advancements, without losing sight of delivering core competencies like strategic thinking and problem-solving.

“This year’s soaring applications to graduate business programs proves that business schools are on the right track meeting student demands head on, helping graduates upskill with employer’s most coveted capabilities in an AI-affected world,” said GMAC chief executive officer, Joy Jones.

Earlier GMAC surveys of over 4,000 prospective business school students worldwide revealed a significant jump in the demand for AI integration with 40 per cent now deeming it essential in their ideal business school curriculum.

Later in the year, GMAC’s survey of nearly 1,000 corporate recruiters worldwide with half from Global Fortune 500 companies, showed that employers foresee the growing importance of AI knowledge among graduates in the coming years.

To examine how business schools are implementing AI, GMAC has been conducting a case study series. At MIT Sloan School of Management, for instance, a collaborative, crowdsourced strategy involving faculty members has led to projects such as classroom chatbots and student engagement tools. This collective approach enables schools to stay ahead of the rapidly evolving AI landscape.

Meanwhile, at the European School of Management and Technology in Berlin, the adoption of AI has been gradual, with a focus on building systems for student and faculty support using generative AI.

With this approach, they developed a unique plug-in system based on a custom generative pre-trained transformer (GPT) that provides separate interfaces for student support and training on academic integrity and faculty support for course development.

-- BERNAMA