GenAI Course Enrollments Surged By 500% In One Year, AACSB Reports

Artificial intelligence is no longer just a tool for tomorrow’s workforce — it’s now the cornerstone of today’s business education. According to Coursera data included in the 2025 State of Business Education report released by AACSB International, enrollment in generative AI courses has surged by more than 500% in just one year, signaling a sweeping transformation across global business schools.

The annual report — which draws insights from nearly 900 business school leaders across 83 countries and incorporates data from McKinsey & Company, GMAC, and the OECD — concludes that AI is not only central to modern curricula but now defines the strategic direction of many institutions.

“The breakout of generative AI in 2022 catalyzed a fundamental shift,” the report states. “By 2025, that shift has moved from exploration to execution.”

DEANS PRIORITIZE AI READINESS

For the first time, business school deans now cite preparing students for an AI-powered workforce as their top strategic priority. This reflects a growing consensus that AI fluency — once considered an elective or niche skill — is now a baseline requirement.

Business school leaders report that employers are not just looking for grads who can use AI, but those who understand its technical underpinnings, ethical dimensions, and collaborative potential.

That has pushed faculty to embed AI instruction deeply into MBA, master’s, and even undergraduate programs — not just as standalone electives but within finance, marketing, strategy, and operations courses.

AI SKILLS — AND HUMAN SKILLS

The report highlights an emerging “both/and” imperative: students need technical proficiency in AI and the human skills to wield it responsibly. Adaptability, ethical reasoning, and communication ranked highest among the complementary capabilities employers seek.

“There’s a clear shift toward hybrid skillsets,” the report notes. “Business graduates must now straddle the technical and the interpersonal — and business schools must evolve rapidly to meet that demand.”

The AACSB’s global sample reveals how schools in different regions are responding to the AI moment. While elite institutions in North America and Europe are integrating AI into leadership and decision-making curricula, schools in Asia and Latin America are investing heavily in faculty upskilling and industry partnerships.

‘DEMAND IS DRIVING SCHOOLS TO ACT QUICKLY’

“As we engage with business schools and industry leaders worldwide, the surge in GenAI education reflects a clear demand from the business community,” Lily Bi, president and CEO of AACSB International, tells Poets&Quants. “Companies across every sector are rapidly adopting generative AI, and they expect graduates to arrive workforce-ready with the skills to apply these tools in real-world settings. It is not enough for business leaders to simply understand AI conceptually. They must be prepared to integrate AI into strategy, operations, customer engagement, and risk management, all while navigating complex ethical and governance considerations. This demand is driving schools to act quickly to embed GenAI competencies into their programs.

“At the same time, we are seeing tremendous innovation from faculty who are embracing this opportunity to transform how business education is delivered. Faculty are experimenting with AI-powered personalized learning, incorporating prompt engineering into the classroom, and creating experiential learning that allows students to apply GenAI tools in decision-making scenarios. They are also leading important conversations around AI ethics, bias, and responsible use, which are critical to AACSB’s mission of developing leaders who make a positive societal impact.

“This rapid curriculum innovation underscores the agility and dedication of our member schools in ensuring business education remains relevant and forward-looking.”

A SECTOR AT A CROSSROADS

Several institutions now offer AI-focused MBA concentrations, interdisciplinary AI labs, and microcredentials designed to upskill working professionals. Others are experimenting with AI-powered simulations, flipped classrooms, and chatbot-based tutoring tools.

Beyond AI, AACSB’s report paints a picture of a sector confronting deep questions about relevance, innovation, and impact. Enrollment pressures, funding shifts, and geopolitical volatility continue to challenge the traditional business school model. (See Poets&Quants‘ April story on the report here.)

Still, AACSB sees opportunity in disruption: “Institutions that lean into the promise of AI — not just as a topic but as a catalyst for reimagining learning itself — will lead the next era of business education.”

Read the full 2025 State of Business Education report at aacsb.edu.

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