How AI Can Make You A Better Business School Student

Few areas of commercial life today remain untouched by the rapid emergence of artificial intelligence (AI). A 2025 McKinsey study revealed that 92% of companies plan to increase their AI spending over the coming three years. 

Naturally, this profound shift has impacted the world’s business schools as they strive to prepare future generations of business leaders. 

Many top institutions have taken steps to integrate AI into the business school ecosystem. At IE Business School, for example, a partnership with OpenAI that began in 2023 has helped the school bring AI into various elements of academic life. 

To learn how AI can enhance the business school experience, and how students can use it to advance their learning, we spoke with David Suárez Llama, vice dean of IE Business School and a key figure in driving its innovation efforts. 

AI can supercharge your skill set 

The potential impact of AI on the workforce is well documented. The World Economic Forum has predicted that 85 million roles could be displaced by the technology and its automation capabilities, while a further 97 million could be created. Experts expect most existing roles to be affected to varying degrees in future, if they haven’t already. 

The need for business schools to equip students with the skills to be adept at using AI and leveraging its potential is therefore clear. This is why IE is piloting the technology inside the classroom. 

“This is game-changing, not just for universities, it’s game changing for humanity,” David says. “We know that students are going to have to embrace AI in the present and in the immediate future.” 

Currently, while AI use is prohibited by default, within certain modules the school is encouraging students to explore the technology’s use cases. Professors can choose to enhance the learning experience by allowing students to use AI when undertaking coursework or completing group projects. 

When giving his students time-bound assignments, for example, David allows students unlimited use of tools such as ChatGPT to find answers, analyze data, and generate charts. The only provision is that students must document the tools and prompts they use, which they then share along with their learnings within a classroom discussion. 

This process helps students complete tasks more efficiently while deepening their understanding, says David. It also helps professors learn about new use cases and best practices. 

“You realize that if you just try to copy and paste, you get a very bland answer. But if you know about this stuff and you're good with a subject matter, the more that you embed into the prompt the higher quality the answer is.” 

AI can provide tailored support throughout the academic journey 

The business school experience presents myriad challenges for students, including academic rigor, a new and unfamiliar environment, and pressure to make the most of the wealth of opportunities available. 

Leveraging AI, business schools can extend the support they offer to students and alleviate many of these challenges, David feels. 

The school is currently piloting an AI-powered concierge service to assist students in transitioning into their studies, helping with issues such as navigating the campus and managing their schedules. 

One of the technology’s chief potential use cases, he explains, is in the form of AI tutors. Trained using curriculum materials, these tutors can assist students with their academic work. Studies show that consistent access to personalized support can significantly increase students’ potential, which is why the school is piloting this in a small number of courses. 

“We want every professor to develop AI tutors for their courses, which need to be cast in their own image and likeness so that the student, in many ways, can almost have a personal discussion with a professor,” David adds.  

To help facilitate this significant change in teaching delivery, IE is providing various resources for professors to build their AI fluency and become comfortable using the technology. 

“There are so many opportunities, but we need to continue to get professors to do the right thing,” David adds. 

Advice for upskilling in AI 

Through hands-on classroom learning and increased support across the study experience, AI can help students enhance their knowledge and skills and become better prepared for the workplace of the future. However, students can also take initiative to upskill and get ahead, says David. 

Experimenting with different tools—both free and paid—can help students find new and innovative ways to use AI, while also making them more proficient at adapting when new innovations emerge. 

“You want to come out with the tools that allow you to harness the power of this technology, which is incredible. So having an understanding of the variety of tools out there is key,” he advises. 

Becoming accustomed to using the technology across different scenarios, whether it be analyzing a financial statement or putting together a presentation, can also help you learn the fundamentals of the technology and reveal best practices that can be widely applied. 

Perhaps the most crucial way to prepare yourself to succeed and harness the power of AI is to cultivate a growth mindset and become a lifelong learner, David adds. 

“We're trying to equip people so that they learn how to learn better and more quickly, because that's what the environment demands.”