Artificial intelligence has made inroads into almost every industry, making its integration into education increasingly necessary to prepare individuals for the future workforce.
That raises the question – Are business schools equipped to prepare students for tomorrow’s business world? Statistics from GMAC reveals that indeed the vast majority of them, in fact, 78% of them have already integrated AI into the business school education and learning experience.
Also, what are prospective applicants expecting from business schools in the AI space?
According to GMAC prospective students survey 2025, based on inputs from 4912 survey respondents from 147 countries, applicants have a greater interest in hands-on AI classroom experience – learning through simulations, case studies and industry partnerships rather than just theoretical AI coursework. They also want it integrated across diverse disciplines rather than just tech-focused programs.
For those interested in a career in AI, here’s how some of business schools in USA have incorporated AI within their curriculum. This is not a ranking.
Top MBA programs (USA) for Artificial Intelligence
1. Wharton
The Financial Times (FT) no. 1 ranked MBA program has more than 65 AI and Analytics-Based Courses and more than 90 AI and Analytics Affiliated Faculty.
The MBA program has an Artificial Intelligence for Business major that has 2 main focus areas.
- Foundations of AI in Business involving a technical know-how needed to work with AI systems with subjects including machine learning, data science, statistics, data engineering, or neuroscience.
- Impact and Ethical Implications of AI in Business covering the economic, psychological, business, legal, ethical, or societal impact of AI.
The Wharton AI & Analytics Initiative (WAIAI) drives innovative student learning experience, empowers faculty research, and fosters collaborations with industry leaders and experts.
2. Chicago Booth
An M7 elite school, Booth is well-known for its analytical rigour and data-driven approach. Students can opt for a career path in artificial intelligence. Courses cover areas including generative thinking, machine learning in finance, ethics, decision-making, managing the workforce among others.
Booth’s Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence is involved in cutting edge research in AI and machine learning.
The Generative Thinking course covers key aspects of Gen AI – its foundational technologies, practical applications, broader societal implications including ethical, legal challenges.
Along with lectures, discussions, classes have practicum, exercise, demo component. Students also work on developing a Gen AI solution.
3. MIT Sloan
This is another prestigious M7 school positioned at the intersection of business and technology, that has been at the forefront in integrating AI within its curriculum.
AI Foundations for MBAs workshop by Eric So, lead faculty for ‘MIT Sloan Generative AI Hub for Teaching and Learning’ is designed to prepare students to manage AI applications and opportunities within the MBA program.
‘Generative AI for Managers’ by Prof. John Horton will help managers and founders in exploring tools helping them understand its capabilities and limitations, also its implications for businesses.
Under Global Economics & Management, the school offers ‘Global Business of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics’ (GBAIR) covering the applications and use of AI and robotics in the business world and its impact on global economies.
Under Information technologies, it offers, ‘Artificial Intelligence for Business’ which provides an understanding of how to design and evaluate products and policy based on AI. Under Operations Management, you can take ‘Hands-on Deep Learning’ exploring the engine behind modern AI with a focus on building models to tackle complex problems involving unstructured data.
4. NYU Stern
NYU Stern – another top globally reputed school located strategically in the start-up, finance and tech hub – New York – can provide excellent opportunities for students to explore across AI driven industries. The MBA program has a choice of AI electives across various specializations.
These include Introduction to AI & Its Applications in Business, Artificial Intelligence, Automation, and the Platform Revolution: Global Perspectives, Real Estate Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, and Machine Learning,
The Fintech specialization has AI in Finance covering AI’s role in areas such as investment strategies, financial management, and business analytics.
The Management of Technology & Operations specialization has Leading in the Age of AI that explores major disruptive AI developments, concepts, and its future.
Another course- Business Strategy in a World of AI engages students to strategically and practically think about how to implement AI at scale in corporations.
5. Northwestern Kellogg
MBAi is an AI-focused MBA degree offered by a top M7 business school – Kellogg School of Management in collaboration with McCormick School of Engineering. The 18-month long fast-paced program has a close-knit cohort of 40-50 students.
The blended format offers business courses with AI components and technology courses with a focus on organizational leadership.
The program curriculum with a focus on practical application can be broadly classified into MBA core, technical core and integrated core. Students gain skills and expertise to lead teams that have data scientists, machine learning engineers and developers.
6. Dartmouth Tuck
Tuck, an Ivy League school popular for its consistently high MBA placements, has included AI in several ways within the MBA learning experience. AI-Driven Analytics and Society is a research to practice seminar dealing with biggest challenges related to societal impact of data-driven decision making.
AI and Consultative Decision-Making, a hands-on laboratory combines the best thinking about decision-making and experiential activities so that students have the required set of tools to use generative AI for making the right decisions.
Other AI courses include Generative AI and the Future of Work, a marketing course – AI for Managers, Optimization Modeling for Prescriptive Analytics.
7. CMU Tepper
CMU has a deep-rooted association with AI. Professor Herbert Simon, a founding figure at Carnegie Mellon University was also one of the founders of AI.
The MBA curriculum has an AI in Business Concentration covering AI topics including machine learning, business analytics, as well as the legal and ethical implications of AI in business.
Based on availability, student can opt for some unconventional non-Tepper courses like Human AI Interaction, Design of Artificial Intelligence Products, Fundamentals of Operationalizing AI.
8. Harvard Business School
Harvard too has included data science & AI as part of the required curriculum in the 1st year. In addition to covering data science concepts, techniques, analytics, R statistical programming, it also covers generative AI and foundational concepts within ethical AI, like algorithmic transparency, fairness, privacy, and bias.
There’s also a ‘Generative AI for Business Leaders’ elective under Technology & Operations Management track as well as Accounting & Management track
9. Maryland Smith
“The school’s MBA program was one of the early programs to introduce an AI Specialization within the Full-time MBA program with courses in Foundations of AI, Designing AI Systems, AI and Business Strategy as well as many AI-related electives across the different departments,” Balaji Padmanabhan told MBA Crystal Ball. He is the Director of the Center for AI in Business. The school was also one of the first to launch a dedicated center (The Center for AI in Business) early in 2024.
“We strongly believe that learning doesn’t happen only inside classrooms, and have been one of the first schools to launch a series of AI competitions for students to participate in,” says Balaji. “Over 200 students have participated in a Small Business AI Case competition and an AI for Food Insecurity competition conducted over the last year.”
10. Virginia Darden
In response to this growing interest from students and the rising demand from employers, Darden recently announced a new AI, Data Analytics and Decision Sciences concentration with a choice of 25 courses to choose from, with the concentration requiring completion of at least six of the courses.
UVA Darden also launched the LaCross Institute for Ethical Artificial Intelligence in Business that supports research in AI and ethics.
11. ASU Carey
The MBA offers an Artificial Intelligence concentration. Among the courses offered is ‘AI and business’ covering modern AI technologies, applications, techniques and their impact on business, competition, and society.
Other courses include Python for Data Analysis, Machine Learning in Business, Business Data Visualization.
12. Rutgers
The concentration in AI provides student with a thorough understanding of AI and its application in solving complex business problems across business domains. The concentration comprises courses under 2 categories:
- Foundational AI courses including Algorithmic Machine Learning, Data Analysis and Visualization and Data Mining.
- AI application courses that with a focus on AI applications across specific disciplines including accounting and auditing, marketing, supply chain, robotic process automation, innovation and technology.
Will we lose our jobs to AI?
There have been concerns among working professionals about losing their jobs to AI. Addressing this question, Erik Brynjolfsson, Stanford professor and author of the bestseller ‘The Second Machine Age: Work, Progress, and Prosperity in a Time of Brilliant Technologies’ says:
It’s actually more dangerous to try to freeze in place all of the jobs as they are today, or as they were ten years ago. The only safe option is to be continually reskilling and relearning and managing this dynamism that has made so many companies successful.
He believes that AI rather than taking away your jobs would instead eliminate some of the most routine, dangerous, boring kinds of jobs, however the good news is it would create a large number of creative, human-centered work.
What AI skills are employers looking for in MBA grads?
We asked this question to Kerry Kidwell-Slak, senior director of graduate career coaching at Maryland Smith.
“Employers are increasingly expecting MBA graduates to harness AI for strategic decision-making, predictive modeling, and analytics. These graduates should possess a broad understanding of AI applications within business operations and exhibit a proactive attitude towards exploring emerging technologies,” Kerry told us.
“The rise of “AI-first” philosophies in companies like Duolingo and Shopify underscores the demand for professionals who prioritize AI at the core of their operations, rather than viewing it merely as a tool for automation in addition to technical proficiency, MBA graduates offer a unique advantage with their comprehensive grasp of the business context and ethical considerations surrounding AI usage in decision-making,” she adds.
“Those who can seamlessly integrate their technical acumen with the strategic insight and critical thinking honed during their degree programs will be exceptionally well-positioned for success. This combination of skills is crucial for driving innovation and maintaining competitive advantage in today’s rapidly evolving business landscape,” says Kerry.
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Thank you for highlighting the importance of AI in MBA programs, Sameer and Swati. I have been in this space for over 25 years and this is a time like none other I have seen in terms of the underlying capabilities of modern AI. There are most certainly issues, but businesses can no longer take a “wait and see” approach to AI (all the business i speak to have many AI projects in the works and this is an area of growth in an otherwise somewhat sluggish global economy now). Not many have a real crystal ball, so it’s definitely hard to make predictions for 5 years or 10 years out at this point. But anyone graduating with an MBA now absolutely has to understand AI – just like they have to understand markets, money, management or strategy.