Only 22% of schools participating in the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) Application Trends Survey said they had not incorporated AI into their teaching. This number rose to around one-third among online degrees.
The report, which quizzed 1,090 programs at 297 business schools across 40 countries, also revealed that the majority of b-schools were yet to formalize policies regarding use of AI during admissions.
Elsewhere, GMAC asked participants how they were responding to increasing demand for alternatives to traditional education, including non-degree credentials. It found the majority of schools around the world were offering non-degree options in 2024, with significant variation between regions.
READ: Business School Applications Growing At Record Levels
Major artificial intelligence topics revealed
Across the globe, 44% of the participating business school programs—including MBA and business master’s degrees—were teaching students topics related to the role of AI in society and business ethics, making it the most common area of coverage in the b-school curriculum.
Close behind were courses focused on how AI can be used in business to help the decision-making process, 43% of programs were covering this topic. Hands-on use of AI within business simulations and practical applications was next, with 42%. A further 41% of programs were offering courses focused on the intersection between AI and business strategy.
Other key topics included training in prompt-writing and using AI on a daily basis, as well as using AI to tailor students’ learning experiences and allowing them to progress at their own pace.
Programs were also asked if they were working on other uses for AI in the classroom. Here, suggestions included creating dedicated AI degree programs, extracurriculars, and guest speaker sessions covering AI topics.
While the majority of programs had integrated AI into the learning experience, there was some variation across the globe, with the report indicating the US was lagging behind other regions such as Canada, Asia-Pacific, and Europe.
In Canada, 63% of programs focused on business ethics, meanwhile in Asia 52% focused on business strategy. A further 60% of programs in Europe were targeting the decision making process, the report highlighted.
Share of surveyed programs incorporating topic into learning experience (%)
Schools unclear on using artificial intelligence in admissions
Beyond integrating AI into the classroom, GMAC also asked business school programs how they were using AI during their admissions processes. The survey revealed 63% of programs were yet to implement an admissions policy on the use of AI.
Some programs indicated they were developing AI admissions policies, while others revealed they had no plans to do so. In total, only 5% of participating programs said they embraced the use of AI during the business school admissions process. A larger proportion (8%) said they had banned its usage.
A further quarter of survey respondents revealed mixed feelings on AI in admissions. Those who responded “it depends” when asked if AI could be used listed a number of reasons when it could. These included for coaching or gaining inspiration, and provided it was properly referenced; however respondents highlighted that it could not be used for writing.
On a regional level, Asia was leading the way with regards to actively embracing usage of AI during the admissions process, while European programs had a higher tendency to ban it.
Rankings were also revealed to be a factor, with lower or unranked business schools more likely to prohibit its usage. GMAC indicated this was possibly due to less strenuous admissions criteria at these schools meaning greater need for safeguarding the quality of applications.
Schools increasingly offering non-degree education
Recent GMAC research conducted earlier in 2024 revealed increasing demand for alternatives to traditional programs among those considering studying at business school. The Application Trends Survey therefore quizzed programs on their integration of non-degree offerings for students, with 62% responding they offered such credentials.
Schools ranked among the top 50 by either the Financial Times or US News & World Report were more likely to offer non-degree credentials—including stackable certificates, executive education programs, and micro-credentials—than lower ranked schools.
Meanwhile, Canada (79%) and Europe (73%) were the regions where b-schools were most likely to offer non-degree credentials. In the US, 56% schools offered them to students, while the figure was just 46% for schools in the Asia-Pacific region. GMAC cautioned that results in Canada were based on a smaller sample size.
