‘Job Opportunities Abound’: B-School Profs Share Insights From The Paris AI Action Summit

France hosted the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit at the Grand Palais on February 11-12. Joining heads of state, leaders of international organizations, CEOs of small and large companies, and representatives of non-governmental organizations in Paris were several professors, deans, and others from the world’s top business schools.

Poets&Quants asked these elite B-school representatives to share their thoughts on the summit and the implications for business education. Here is what they said.

Professor Dejan Glavas is the Director of the AI for Sustainability Institute at ESSCA School of Management, France. He has a focus of applying artificial intelligence and data science methodologies to develop actionable insights for sustainability. 

1. What were the main outcomes of the summit?

The Paris Summit for Action on AI catalyzed strong financial commitments while establishing frameworks for ethical AI governance.

The summit’s most striking achievement was securing massive financial investments totaling over €300 billion to advance AI infrastructure and technology. France emerged as a major beneficiary, attracting €109 billion in private investments, with a key commitment from the United Arab Emirates. The UAE’s €50 billion pledge will establish Europe’s largest AI campus, featuring a “hyper-hyperscale” data center with one gigawatt capacity.

Parallel to national initiatives, the European Union unveiled an ambitious €200 billion AI program, which European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen heralded as the world’s largest public-private partnership focused on trustworthy AI development. While the EU commits €50 billion, the remaining €150 billion will come from prominent investment firms. These investors have tied their support to the EU’s ability to create a balanced regulatory environment that promotes innovation while maintaining transparency.

The summit also achieved significant diplomatic progress through a multinational declaration advocating for open, inclusive, and ethical AI development. Over sixty nations, including France, China, and India, endorsed this framework, which emphasizes preventing market monopolies and expanding AI access while calling for deeper research into AI’s environmental, economic, and social impacts. Notably, several key players—the United States, and the United Kingdom—abstained from signing, expressing concerns about potential regulatory constraints on innovation.

Environmental sustainability emerged as another important focus through the Coalition for Sustainable AI. This French-led initiative, developed in partnership with UN agencies, brings together research institutions, energy companies, and technology firms including NVIDIA and AMD. While some major AI companies have not joined, the coalition represents a significant step toward addressing AI’s environmental impact.

Looking ahead, the summit’s achievements will influence global AI development through its combination of substantial financial commitments and ethical frameworks. The Paris Summit has set a precedent for balancing technological advancement with ethical considerations.

2. What does this mean for the skills and knowledge B-school students need to develop? 

The outcomes of the Paris AI Summit highlight a significant shift in the skills and knowledge that business school students will need to develop. Recent findings from ESSCA’s AI Barometer: Business and sustainability study of 400 European IT managers reveal that while 55% of companies see AI as having a positive impact on sustainable development, only a minority of companies feel prepared to manage AI-related disruptions and risks. This underscores the need for business education to address this preparedness gap.

Firstly, with over €300 billion in investments and a focus on building AI infrastructure, B-school students will need to develop a strong understanding of artificial intelligence and its applications in various industries. This goes beyond just knowing the basics of AI; students must be able to analyze AI-driven business models, develop data-driven strategies, and identify market opportunities. Courses on AI strategy, data management, and digital transformation will become essential parts of the business curriculum.

Secondly, the summit’s emphasis on creating open, inclusive, and ethical AI underscores the growing importance of ethical decision-making and corporate social responsibility in business education. Students will need to be familiar with AI ethics, including issues like algorithmic bias, data privacy, and the environmental impact of AI technologies. Understanding how to navigate regulatory frameworks—especially as countries and regions like the EU push for stricter guidelines—will also be key.

Finally, the emphasis on open-source AI and its development for the public good means that future managers and entrepreneurs will need technical literacy—not necessarily in coding, but in understanding how AI tools are developed, their limitations, and their scalability potential.

3. Where is business education on the adoption of AI in teaching, research and ops?

In teaching, AI powers intelligent tutoring systems and smart learning environments that deliver personalized instruction based on individual student needs. These systems analyze student performance data in real-time to adjust content difficulty and provide targeted support. Educational institutions are also implementing AI-powered cloud platforms that seamlessly integrate online and offline learning experiences while ensuring alignment with professional competency standards.

The research applications of AI in education focus on developing sophisticated systems for learning analytics, student assessment, and adaptive instruction. These tools can predict academic performance, identify learning gaps, and automatically adjust teaching strategies. Success in this domain requires close collaboration between AI developers, education researchers, and teaching practitioners to ensure the technology effectively serves pedagogical goals.

On the operational side, educational institutions are deploying AI to streamline administrative tasks like grading assignments and managing student records. This automation allows educators to dedicate more time to high-value activities such as individualized instruction and curriculum development. Both students and faculty have shown positive reception to AI-enhanced teaching methods and administrative tools.

Moving forward, successful AI integration in education will require balancing technological capabilities with institutional readiness.

Next page: Ana Freire, Vice-Dean for Social Impact & Academic Innovation at UPF Barcelona School of Management