Employers: Universities Aren’t Producing Enough AI-Ready Graduates

A growing share of employers expect graduates to arrive in the workplace with hands-on experience using artificial intelligence, yet many believe universities are falling short in preparing students for that reality.

That is among the central findings of the new See the Future 2026 report from CarringtonCrisp, produced in association with EFMD, higher-education consulting firm 4uni-solutions, and private education-technology company Full Fabric. Drawing on responses from 1,863 participants across 40 countries, the study examines how students, faculty, alumni, staff, and employers view the future of business education.  

A SECTOR AT AN INFLECTION POINT

The report lands at a moment when schools face “global uncertainty,” accelerating AI adoption, and mounting pressure to address sustainability in their programs. Seventy-seven percent of employers say they expect new hires to have some experience using AI tools, yet 58% believe universities are not doing enough to build those capabilities.

“While AI is in widespread use across higher education, there is a very high degree of uncertainty about how to use it and its impact,” says Andrew Crisp, author of the report. “This uncertainty explains why it is challenging to build comprehensive policies around it, and the speed of change on why there are gaps in training and development for individuals and organizations.”

AI POLICIES STILL TAKING SHAPE

Most universities appear to recognize the stakes. Nearly three-quarters report that they are developing AI policies, although relatively few are comprehensive.

Among faculty, 57% say institutional policies address student use of AI, while 55% report that research is covered. The data suggests schools are still working to clarify expectations and governance as the technology evolves.

The gap extends into the workplace. Only 52% of alumni say their employer has formal rules on AI usage, and just 53% have received organizational training to support tool adoption.

For many graduates, learning AI has become largely self-directed. Seven in ten alumni say they taught themselves by downloading tools and experimenting, while 64% relied on online videos and 30% turned to friends. Just 3% completed a university course focused on AI.

FEW SEE THEMSELVES AS AI EXPERTS

One additional insight from the report underscores the depth of the skills challenge: only 4% of students and 6% of faculty consider themselves experts in AI.  

At the same time, both AI and sustainability are increasingly viewed as “key skills for future careers,” reflecting shifting employer expectations and a broader sense of responsibility to future generations.  

The report also notes that while many people are already using AI, “few see themselves as experts,” raising questions about how institutions can support ethical and effective use of the technology.  

Andrew Crisp concludes: “We are in a period of huge disruption. We all use AI, but most of us do not truly understand it – just 4% of students and 6% of faculty consider themselves experts. Add in a desire to do more to tackle sustainability in business education and it is clear that these two themes will be key to the future offer of business schools.”

SUSTAINABILITY EXPECTATIONS OUTPACE CONFIDENCE

AI is not the only force reshaping curricula. The study finds strong demand for sustainability education, with 49% of students calling it very or extremely important in a business degree, rising to 57% among faculty and 75% among employers.

Yet confidence in progress remains muted. Only about one in eight students and professional staff, and 11% of faculty, say they are very positive about success in tackling sustainability issues so far. Employers are more optimistic, with more than a third describing current progress as very positive.

Another finding points to a knowledge gap: more than half of students (51%) and alumni (52%) cannot name a single United Nations Sustainable Development Goal, while sizable shares of faculty, employers, and staff report the same struggle.

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