Artificial intelligence (AI) and automation is a major talking point across various industries and sectors, leading many educators to consider how teaching should be adapted in this era, including business schools that are educating future entrepreneurs and leaders.
AI is inevitably a part of the future of education as well as the future of work and can be a useful tool when integrated with other skills and traits. Here are the strategies for working alongside AI and automation to prepare students for the future of business and entrepreneurship…
Integrating AI into the curriculum
Students should be prepared for AI-driven business environments, where AI tools are regularly used alongside future developments in AI. It’s important to integrate AI into everyday learning so students are ‘AI-literate’, whether it’s a part of specialised courses or used as a tool in all courses.
Students must be equipped to use AI tools like predictive analytics and data analytics in case studies, business simulations, and research projects because these technologies are essential for making informed, data-driven decisions in today’s business landscape. Encouraging them to explore AI applications through interactive labs or virtual environments fosters hands-on experience, preparing them to innovate and adapt to real-world challenges, ensuring they remain competitive in an AI-driven economy.
It’s also important for students to understand how AI should be implemented into different elements of business including finance and marketing. Inviting expert guests who can help develop course content and give talks can also help students fully understand AI and its future in business. Similarly, teachers should incorporate project-based learning where students design AI-based solutions to business problems. This helps students prepare to integrate AI into their entrepreneurial futures, allowing them to use AI solutions for problems.
Developing Critical Soft Skills
In an era dominated by AI and automation, soft skills are becoming increasingly important. While machines can handle routine tasks, human traits such as emotional intelligence, creativity, and problem-solving remain irreplaceable. Emotional intelligence helps individuals navigate the complex interpersonal dynamics in the workplace. Business schools can emphasise emotional intelligence through group projects, leadership exercises, and mentoring programmes, teaching students to recognise and manage their emotions while understanding others’ feelings.
Role-playing activities and real-world business scenarios where students need to negotiate or resolve conflicts are excellent for honing emotional intelligence. By strengthening emotional intelligence, students can work more effectively with diverse teams, foster collaboration, and lead empathetically in an automated workplace.
It’s also important for business schools and colleges to teach how automation can handle repetitive tasks, however complex decision-making and problem-solving should be decided on by humans. Business schools should offer case studies and simulations that present current business challenges, requiring students to think critically and devise creative solutions. Incorporating scenario-based learning, where students must adapt to changing environments or new constraints, develops their flexibility. Encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration and working on diverse problems will prepare students for unpredictable challenges in the evolving business landscape.
Creativity also drives innovation and pairing it with technological expertise can lead to groundbreaking solutions. Business schools can nurture creativity by offering courses in design thinking, brainstorming workshops, and innovation labs where students explore AI’s possibilities. Encouraging students to think outside the box, question assumptions, and prototype new ideas alongside learning technical tools will position them to lead in both AI-driven and human-centric aspects of business innovation.
Focusing on Lifelong Learning
In a world where AI and automation rapidly change job roles and industries, the ability to continuously learn and adapt is critical. Business schools can play a pivotal role in instilling this mindset in students.
With technology evolving rapidly, students must embrace lifelong and continuous learning. Business schools should promote continuous upskilling by offering modular courses, certifications, and workshops that allow students to stay updated on new trends and technologies. Encouraging students to participate in industry-relevant certifications, such as data science, AI, or digital marketing, can help them to remain competitive and agile in a dynamic job market. Alumni engagement programmes that offer skill refreshers will also help to create a culture of lifelong learning.
Lifelong learning also requires flexibility. This can be offered through a mix of online, in-person, and hybrid courses to accommodate working professionals. Offering stackable credentials, where students can gain certifications and degrees over time, allows them to learn at their own pace. Additionally, providing access to a wide range of learning resources, from video lectures to interactive digital platforms, ensures that students have continuous opportunities to reskill as needed.
Encouraging Entrepreneurial Thinking
Similarly to encouraging lifelong learning, business schools must teach students to create and maintain an entrepreneurial mindset. AI and automation open new paths for entrepreneurship, allowing innovators to create businesses that capitalise on emerging technologies. Business schools should cultivate entrepreneurial thinking by encouraging experimentation and agility.
Business schools can provide resources such as incubators, mentorship programmes, and networking opportunities for students interested in AI-driven entrepreneurship. Offering courses focused on launching AI startups, from idea validation to fundraising, gives students a practical roadmap to turn innovative ideas into viable businesses. Connecting students with successful AI entrepreneurs or investors fosters a real-world understanding of what it takes to succeed in this space.
The digital economy requires businesses to be agile and responsive. Higher education business courses should integrate agile methodologies, such as lean startup principles, into their curriculum. Students can work on rapid prototyping, minimum viable products (MVPs), and development cycles to prepare for fast-changing market conditions. This approach helps future entrepreneurs stay competitive in an AI-powered economy.
Preparing for the Future of Work
With AI transforming industries, the future of work will look different, and business schools must prepare students to navigate these changes successfully.
As AI replaces certain jobs, new roles will emerge. Career services should stay attuned to market trends and help students understand how automation will affect various industries. This will help students be prepared for a future of automation. Workshops on career transitions, personal branding, and aligning skills with future job demands are essential for helping students remain employable in an AI-driven world.
Therefore, business schools should teach students how to implement automation strategies effectively. Courses and projects that focus on the strategic deployment of AI prepare students to lead in increasingly automated environments.
Conclusion
The fear of AI replacing human jobs is real, but business schools can focus on how automation can enhance, not eliminate, human roles. Educators can emphasise the opportunities for augmentation, where AI frees humans to focus on more strategic, creative, or human-led tasks.
With a career spanning two decades in research, academia, and leadership, Professor Inam is the Executive Principal at Oxford Business College. He holds an honorary professorial appointment at the University of East London, the Principal Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (PFHEA), and the title of Chartered Engineer (CEng). At Oxford Business College, he leads over 300 colleagues across eight campuses, encompassing more than 1 million sq. ft. of teaching and learning space, and serving over 7500 students.
Professor Inam has advised over 60 universities and institutes worldwide, forging transnational education partnerships and shaping higher education practices globally. As a member of the Engineering Professors' Council (EPC), he provides strategic guidance on education policy and strategy to various organisations.
Ranked among the top 2% of most cited scientists in 2021 and 2022, he has over 130 research publications and is a sought-after keynote speaker, journal reviewer, and PhD examiner. Beyond academia, he has contributed significantly to the commercialisation of innovative products and materials. His commitment to excellence and innovation underscores his distinguished career and visionary leadership.
