‘AI IS DEVALUING THE MBA’: Stanford Students Speak Out On Curriculum Lag & Risk To The B-School’s Brand

Stanford Graduate School of Business stands at the center of Silicon Valley, surrounded by the companies and technologies driving the AI revolution. But according to multiple current MBA students who have spoken this summer to Poets&Quants, the school is not keeping pace with the sweeping changes these tools are bringing to business education — and the consequences could be long-lasting.

“I think educators and the school have not modified the curriculum to really match up with the tools that are out there, especially during the first year,” one student tells Poets&Quants in one of a series of candid, wide-ranging interviews. “The assignments haven’t changed, but the tools have gotten very powerful. You could spend most of your time socializing or job-hunting and still complete your academic work with AI. 

“That calls into question whether we’re actually learning the skills employers expect — and whether the Stanford MBA brand is being diluted as a result” (See “We’re Not Learning Anyything”: Stanford GSB Students Sound The Alarm Over Academics and “We Expected More”: Stanford GSB Students Call For Higher Teaching Standards.)

A CURRICULUM MISALIGNED WITH A GENERATIVE WORLD

The student, pursuing an MBA to pivot to a new sector, says AI has fundamentally altered how students engage with coursework at GSB — especially in classes requiring coding or analytical skills. Speaking under condition of anonymity, they describe a troubling shift: “You’re not learning to code. You’re learning how to prompt ChatGPT. Some courses have become pointless. That’s not what anyone expects from Stanford. AI is devaluing the MBA.” Illustrating the point, they add: “There are several classes where the class average on an exam is 99” — proof, they say, that the exams are pointless.

The student says their concerns are widely shared by others in their cohort. Those concerns are not just academic, however. They are reputational.

“If Stanford MBAs start underperforming in internships or jobs because they haven’t built real capabilities, that affects all of us,” the student says. “It affects the perceived value of our degree.”

The student says that while some faculty have begun to adapt — they point to Data and Decision Science Professor Mohsen Bayati, who incorporates AI both as a classroom subject and a tool — others have not adjusted their teaching, grading, or expectations. “It varies wildly,” they say. “There’s no consistent, school-wide approach to AI. And right now, that’s what we need most.”

A CALL FOR PROACTIVE PLANNING, NOT QUARTER-BY-QUARTER TINKERING

The student and others who spoke to Poets&Quants say Stanford’s feedback mechanisms — end-of-course surveys, for example — are too slow to respond to the rapid evolution of AI tools. “They need to stop thinking in terms of quarters and start thinking in terms of years. What’s the five-year plan? Where are large language models headed, and how should our curriculum evolve in parallel?”

They suggest that Stanford convene a cross-school summit during summer breaks, bringing together such peer institutions as Chicago Booth, Harvard Business School, and Wharton to align on how to teach with AI — not against it. “Right now, it’s like each professor is on their own island,” the student says. “But this is a system-level challenge.”

They point to Booth as a model — in some areas. With a highly flexible curriculum and more emphasis on academics, Booth students, they say, are better able to choose courses that align with their goals — and are more motivated to master the material rather than rely on AI shortcuts. Even within the GSB, the student says, second-year students who have more flexibility in coursework “seem to engage significantly more in class.”

Best practices from other schools within Stanford could be incorporated, as well. “From my experience, most GSB students have had some of their best experiences in ‘across the street’ classes — classes at other Stanford schools — during the first year,” says a student.

A DISCONNECT BETWEEN ACADEMIC MESSAGING AND CAREER REALITIES

Beyond AI, GSB students raise concerns about what they see as a mismatch between Stanford’s structure and the needs of career pivoters — particularly those aiming for employment outside startups or pursuing entrepreneurship.

“One of the biggest disadvantages we face is the academic adjustment period in the fall,” they say, referring to GSB’s first-quarter approach that limits structured recruiting and academic support. “It’s branded as a time to get acclimated, but what it actually means is we’re falling behind other schools in preparing for internship recruiting.” This is compounded by the fact that Stanford’s autumn quarter starts later than other peer schools — almost three weeks later than HBS, for example.

Unlike HBS or Wharton, where students begin early engagement with firms in the fall, Stanford students may not meet key contacts or attend industry-focused events until November or later — a key disadvantage, one student says. “If you’re pivoting into a competitive industry, that’s a huge missed opportunity,” the student says. They add that while the later start does not realistically impact pursuing employment in startups, statistically that is still the minority, or at most half of the class.

Update: A Stanford spokesperson writes July 30 that “This claim is outdated by about 2 years. 

“The AAP has been changed to allow for early recruiting. Additionally, our career management center is rolling out a new education program for the incoming MBA class that was shared for input and well-received by student leaders in the class of ‘26. A number of virtual career kickoff sessions were conducted in June and July to prepare students for the early recruiting season, and another will be held in August.”

STANFORD RESPONDS: ‘WE HEAR THE STUDENTS’ CONCERNS’

Asked to respond to a list of the issues laid out by GSB students, Anne Beyer, senior associate dean for academic affairs, tells P&Q in an email that “We hear the students’ concerns. The new leadership team at the GSB has only been in place for a little over a month, and I can assure you that we have a commitment to our students and curriculum. I took on this role because I care deeply about the student experience and the academic journey at the GSB. Dean Sarah Soule and I take these recent comments seriously, and addressing them is a top priority for our team.

“At the same time, it’s important to recognize that some aspects of the student experience — particularly in the first year — are intentional by design. The first year is meant to establish foundations so the students are prepared for the rigor and relevance of the extraordinary elective curriculum that follows in the second year. This structure has been in place for decades, and it underpins the learning experience we aim to provide at the GSB.

“We are hopeful that as our current students progress through our program, they will continue to value this foundation — just as many alumni do. We continue to hear from our graduates how impactful these courses have been in their careers and lives.”

And Dean Sarah Soule adds: “This is an extremely important set of issues, which I take very seriously. Senior Associate Dean Anne Beyer is the absolute right choice to take on the challenges in the MBA program, curriculum, and student experience.”

THE RISK — AND OPPORTUNITY — AHEAD

Despite the frustrations, GSB students emphasize that there is tremendous potential at the GSB. “I came here because Stanford has some of the most brilliant faculty and interdisciplinary resources,” one says. “At the end of the first year I am disappointed that we are not curating a better experience.”

They believe GSB remains unmatched for those seeking to launch a startup or enter entrepreneurship, thanks to its location, alumni network and culture. 

“If you know exactly what you want and that aligns with what Stanford supports, it can still be a great place. But if you’re trying to explore multiple paths or shift into structured industries like tech or finance, you need to understand that there may be some challenges, and at least the first year coursework for now may not be as constructive to your development.”

And they call for more engagement from the administrators with current and past students. 

“We just want them to listen. To engage. And to adapt faster to the changing environment.”

This story is part of an ongoing Poets&Quants series on academic and cultural challenges at elite MBA programs in the AI era. To maintain confidentiality, the identities of the students who spoke to P&Q have been withheld.

DON’T MISS ‘WE’RE NOT LEARNING ANYTHING’: STANFORD GSB STUDENTS SOUND THE ALARM OVER ACADEMICS and SARAH SOULE BECOMES THE FIRST WOMAN TO BE NAMED DEAN OF STANFORD GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

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