Majority of business schools have integrated AI into curriculum

A new report from GMAC has found that the most popular way of integrating AI into a management education curriculum focuses on exploring AI in society and business ethics (44 per cent), closely followed by developing courses using AI in decision-making (43 per cent) and adding practical applications of AI into the classroom (42 per cent).

The findings come from this year’s Application Trends Survey, an annual report compiled by GMAC focusing on current trends in applications to graduate management education programmes across the world’s best business schools. 

The report interviewed applicants from more than 1,000 business school programmes, spread across almost 300 business schools and spanning 40 countries globally. The report identified trends such as growth or decline in applications to programmes, the impact of financial assistance and the characteristics of applicants.

Regionally, the report revealed that programmes in Asia are more likely to actively embrace the use of AI in the application process, whereas programmes in Europe are more likely to prohibit it. In terms of curricula, programmes in Canada, Asia Pacific and Europe are slightly more likely than programmes in the United States to have integrated AI.

Though the number of business schools implementing AI into their curriculum was high, the report found that when it comes to the admissions process its implementation is less common. In fact, almost two thirds (63 per cent) of business schools have no such policy in place. The report showed that just five per cent of business schools are embracing AI in the admissions process, while eight per cent have prohibited its use and 21 per cent are taking a case-by-case approach.

Commenting on the report's findings, GMAC regional director for Europe and the Americas Nalisha Patel said: “As AI's integration into everyday life rapidly accelerates, there is a need for well-defined policies at business schools around this technology.

“Clear policies not only foster trust but also ensure that AI benefits the whole educational landscape equally – widespread best practices and regulation could really help business schools effectively deal with this issue”, Patel concluded.