The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on MBA Hiring, Skills Expectations, and Business School Curriculum, Spring 2026

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Abstract
We study how artificial intelligence is being adopted in three industrial sectors that recruit the largest proportion of MBA graduates-banking and financial services, management consulting, and technology, media and e-commerce-and examine the resulting implications for MBA hiring and skills requirements from MBA graduates. To conduct the study, we interviewed 34 executives at 30 companies across these sectors and in senior-, mid-, and early-career levels and supplemented the interviews with desktop research. Through this study, we develop guidelines for how the MBA curriculum needs to evolve to meet the evolving requirements of the industry. While the study is focused on MBA programs, its insights are broadly applicable to graduate and undergraduate business programs at universities.