AI is in demand, but tomorrow’s graduates need to be more than just AI experts

01 March 2026

Andrew Crisp looks at the challenges facing universities and business schools to successfully integrate AI into their operations and what else they should be thinking about.

Not surprisingly, AI is in demand.  Faculty are using it to teach and research, administrators are using it for marketing and more, employers expect it from graduates and students are diving in and experimenting.  Yet despite the embrace of AI, not everything is straightforward.

Data from our newly published See the Future study, completed with EFMD, 4uni-solutions and FullFabric, found among the 1863 respondents that the use of AI to enhance the student experience as well as research insights offer the greatest opportunities for business education at moment, but in both cases, it was no more than 30% of the respondents.  At the same time, 44% of current students and 49% of faculty, professional staff, employers and alumni identify the impact of AI on learning as their greatest current concern for business education.

Again, among the faculty involved in management and professional staff half indicated that were working with Microsoft Copilot on developing the use of AI specifically for their institution.  However, 64% have some concerns about the impact of AI on prospective students’ experience of the recruitment and admissions process, and 57% of teaching and research faculty have ethical concerns about the use of AI in teaching and learning.

The pace of change that AI is driving and the rapidity of developments in AI itself make it difficult for universities and business schools to set clear policies or to effectively assess and measure impact.  Policies that might seem appropriate today for teaching, may not work for research or admissions in six months time.  While usage policies are helpful, it’s also important that they are not so draconian that they stifle innovation.

Part of the challenge for universities and business schools is not just the use of AI, but what else they can do to differentiate their offer?  When many institutions are offering at least some element of AI in their curriculum, whether content or skills development, what else can they offer to meet the needs of students and employers?

A German academic recently suggested to me that when information is everywhere, albeit some may not be accurate, the challenge is not to help students find information, but instead to help them ask the right questions.  Of course, developing critical thinking has always been part of higher education, but it is now perhaps more important than ever.

And employers don’t just want AI literacy from their staff.  A recent study by LinkedIn which sought to identify essential professional skills for employees put AI literacy at the top, but it was followed by a mix of both technical and human skills including conflict mitigation, adaptability, innovative thinking, public speaking and stakeholder management.

A business school thinking about how AI fits into its curriculum, research and operations, also needs to cast the net wider as it develops its offer for the future.  AI can’t be ignored, but it’s only one part of the future of higher education.

The See the Future report can be downloaded here.