We Need to Transform How Universities Approach AI (and Leadership)
A global study from the IBM Institute for Business Value found that executives estimate that 40% of executives expect their teams will need to reskill due to AI in the next three years. Most of that impact will hit entry-level roles, but the ripple effect touches every layer of the workforce.
Despite that, many universities are still teaching with models designed for a world where careers were linear and success meant mastering rote knowledge.
A few years back, I spoke at American University on a recurring topic in higher ed. Too often, universities equated AI use with plagiarism and banned it outright. I challenged that framing with Dave Marchick, the dean of the Kogod School of Business. We argued that prohibiting AI wasn’t helping students; it was holding them back. Fast forward to today: Kogod has reimagined its entire approach. More than 40 courses now integrate applied AI. Faculty are trained on responsible and ethical use. Students graduate with the fluency to lead in an AI-powered world. This work ties directly into what I’m exploring now in my doctoral research at Drexel University. I’m looking at how cultural and leadership shifts are being impacted with AI adoption. One of the biggest levers is how organizations (and schools) build environments where adaptability, critical thinking, and ethical decision-making are taught as core skills. In an AI-driven economy, the differentiator isn’t what people know. It’s how they think. The real value lies in human capabilities, like:
In an AI-driven economy, the differentiator isn’t what people know. It’s how they think. The real value lies in human capabilities, like:
Exercising judgment when the answers aren’t clear
Navigating ethical and moral complexity
Building diverse teams and inclusive cultures
Learning quickly and applying insights across systems
If you’re as curious about this intersection as I am, I’d recommend:
The Coming Wave by Mustafa Suleyman – a grounded take on what’s ahead with AI and how institutions must adapt
The Ezra Klein Show – A New York Times podcast, listen particularly to episodes on higher ed reform and technology
Range by David Epstein – a strong case for why flexible, cross-disciplinary thinkers will thrive in the age of AI
HBR’s Reskilling in the Age of AI – a practical look at what the future of workforce development requires
Curious to know what other universities or programs are doing about this. Are we teaching students how to think, or just what to think?
