2023 Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI): A Survey Of Business School Faculty And Professionals
A steady and cautious integration of generative AI is expected within the business school curriculum.
Most business school faculty and professionals see the importance of integrating generative AI in the business school curriculum, despite the concerns and challenges posed by generative AI.
The Graduate Business Curriculum (GBC) Roundtable, a global association of business schools whose mission is to advance graduate business education through curricular and co-curricular innovation, commissioned a survey of graduate business school faculty and professionals and released a new report, Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI): A Survey Of Business School Faculty And Professionals. Sixty-eight business schools, primarily from the United States, are represented by 72 faculty and professionals who contributed to our investigation of generative AI and the business school curriculum.
Survey results indicate business schools are steadily and cautiously integrating generative AI within the business school curriculum. Three out of four (74%) report the business school teaches generative AI as subject matter in the curriculum today. Generative AI usage in the business school is limited, however. Only 15 percent say that generative AI is significantly or fully taught as subject matter within the business school curriculum. Today, one in five (19%) report dedicated courses for generative AI subject matter. The most common generative AI topics taught in the business school curriculum include Intro to AI, Ethics/Legal Implications, and Industry Innovation.
In these early days of generative AI, business schools and universities are beginning to craft guardrails around its use. At the time of the survey in August, only three in ten (30%) report the university or business school had a policy regarding generative AI. One in five (20%) report of a formal group working on crafting a policy, however. Another third (33%) say discussions are underway. Interestingly, there is greater integration of generative AI as subject matter and as an area of faculty research among institutions with a generative AI policy compared to those without a policy – a statistical difference.
About a quarter (28%) of respondents say that generative AI is significantly or fully integrated as an area of faculty research. The utilization of generative AI for student assessment, content creation, curriculum design and delivery, student recruiting, and the student experience is even more limited. Yet, innovations are taking shape among early adopters as shown below.
- An exploratory phase is underway to assess the potential of using AI chatbots to handle repetitive questions and potentially provide advising services.
- Some professors use AI for batch grading similar answers, although this practice is relatively rare.
- The application of AI in education is still in its early stages, with some experimentation around self-assessment using generative AI.
- Current uses include cleaning up instructions, generating ideas for discussion board assignments, and assisting business analytics students in writing code.
- A primary focus is on preparing students for the job market and enhancing their success. There is an emphasis on exploring ways to blend advising and career planning functions to improve student success.
“It is already a period of fast and dramatic change for business schools, their programs and curriculum. Now with the growth of generative AI, business schools are presented with additional unique challenges and opportunities. It is exciting to see the thoughtful and impressive actions and programs that business schools and their leaders are developing and implementing to integrate generative AI into their programs, curriculum and operations.” Jeff Bieganek, Executive Director, GBC Roundtable.
Overall, most respondents place a high level of importance on integrating generative AI as subject matter in the curriculum and as an area for faculty research, despite concerns about academic integrity, misinformation, and bias, and challenges faced, such as training. Half (50%) also say that business schools should utilize generative AI to personalize the student experience, in such areas as advising, tutoring, and career coaching.
About Graduate Business Curriculum Roundtable
The GBC Roundtable is a global association of business schools whose mission is to advance graduate management education through curricular and co-curricular innovation – for more information, please visit: https://www.gbcroundtable.org/.
To download the full report, click here.
