Business Schools and Artificial Intelligence: Strategic Partners in Leadership Development
Dr Juan Carlos Sosa Varela, Dean of the School of Business and Entrepreneurship at Ana G. Méndez University, Puerto Rico, shares in this interview a series of profound reflections on how business schools should integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the development of managerial competencies and the training of doctoral students in business and management.
How Should Business Schools Understand Artificial Intelligence?
Business schools must approach Artificial Intelligence (AI) with an open, strategic and proactive mindset, ensuring the comprehensive, ethical and critical preparation of future leaders for the challenges of this new era. More than an emerging technology, AI represents a paradigm shift that redefines how organisations operate, learn and make decisions.
Within this framework, business schools are called to embed AI into their curricula, research and professional practice, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration and highlighting the importance of ethics and social responsibility in its implementation.
The focus should not be solely on technology itself, but rather on how AI can be harnessed to solve real-world problems and create sustainable value for both business and society. Therefore, management education must cultivate critical thinking, ethical reasoning and strategic foresight, equipping students with the ability to decide when and how to apply AI effectively. Training in AI must extend beyond technical proficiency to encompass leadership, change management, ethics and sustainability — forming visionary, responsible leaders capable of guiding organisations towards a technologically advanced and sustainable future.
Could Artificial Intelligence Replace Professors in Business Schools?
Artificial Intelligence holds extraordinary potential to enhance education; however, it cannot replace the human connection, empathy and inspiration that educators provide. Technology should be regarded as a complement, not a substitute. AI can manage administrative and assessment-related tasks, enabling professors to focus on inspiring and mentoring students, fostering critical thinking, and providing the real-world context essential for high-quality business education.
It is crucial to acknowledge the irreplaceable value of human interaction in the learning process. Professors contribute an emotional and empathetic dimension that AI, at its current stage, cannot replicate. They can interpret and respond to the emotions, concerns and aspirations of their students, offering support, motivation and personalised guidance that go beyond academic instruction. While AI can significantly enhance the efficiency and personalisation of learning, the presence and guidance of human educators remain fundamental to cultivating a dynamic, inspiring and emotionally enriching educational environment. In this sense, AI should serve to amplify and empower teachers’ capacity to teach and connect — never to replace the humanity they bring to the classroom.
Might AI Ultimately Dehumanise Us?
The concern that AI could lead to dehumanisation is legitimate. It is imperative that AI be used to enhance human capacities, not replace them, and to improve human well-being, not diminish it. This requires a sustained commitment to ethics, transparency, accountability and inclusion in the development and application of AI — with education playing a crucial role in preparing society to navigate this technological landscape.
A symbiotic relationship between humans and AI must be fostered, in which each enhances the other’s strengths. AI should be designed and employed to amplify distinctively human abilities — empathy, creativity and critical thinking — rather than erode them. Humanity must remain at the core of technological progress, ensuring that innovation respects human dignity, rights and welfare. Moreover, it is essential that diverse perspectives are included in discussions and decisions surrounding AI development and deployment, guaranteeing that technology reflects and serves the full range of human values, needs and aspirations.
How Does AI Impact Leadership Development, Particularly in Doctoral Education?
The impact of AI on doctoral education in business is profound and multidimensional. It extends far beyond the introduction of new tools; it represents a transformation in the way teaching, research and practice are conceived and executed.
From a pedagogical standpoint, AI enables the creation of more personalised and adaptive learning environments, offering real-time feedback and content tailored to each student’s needs and learning pace. This is particularly valuable at the doctoral level, where students pursue independent and highly specialised research. AI’s capacity to analyse large datasets and identify patterns assists doctoral candidates in discovering promising research areas and refining their methodologies.
In research, AI opens new avenues across diverse fields — from finance and marketing to human resource management. Doctoral students must not only be consumers of these technologies but also critical thinkers and developers, with a deep understanding of both technical dimensions and ethical implications. Consequently, curricula must be reimagined to include stronger analytical and computational skills, alongside comprehensive education in AI ethics and social responsibility.
Doctoral programmes must, therefore, aim to produce not only rigorous researchers but also leaders capable of steering organisations through technological transformation and innovation.
What Defines the Contemporary Executive Profile?
The modern executive profile must be multifaceted, combining technological and digital literacy with ethical leadership, strategic thinking, communication, collaboration and an unwavering commitment to human-centred values. Learning agility, adaptability and resilience are indispensable in a rapidly changing global environment.
Leaders must possess a deep understanding of how AI and other emerging technologies impact business operations, while maintaining a firm commitment to responsible and ethical decision-making. Furthermore, the contemporary executive must be an inclusive leader, capable of managing diverse and multicultural teams, fostering environments where creativity, respect and innovation flourish. This inclusive and human-centred approach is not only ethical but essential for organisational success and innovation in the modern business landscape, where diversity serves as a powerful driver of resilience and competitive advantage.
What Will Business Schools Look Like in 20 Years?
Over the next two decades, business schools will become technologically advanced, ethically conscious and globally interconnected institutions. They will evolve into epicentres of innovation, where artificial intelligence, data analytics and other emerging technologies are seamlessly integrated into every facet of education and research.
These institutions will assume a pivotal role in cultivating responsible, sustainable and humanistic leaders, capable of leveraging technology for societal benefit. Business schools will also become spaces of interdisciplinary collaboration, uniting innovation, ethics, diversity and sustainability as guiding principles. Their mission will be clear: to educate leaders who generate economic and social value while fostering harmony between business success, environmental stewardship and collective well-being.
