AI-Driven Management: The Next Generation of Management Studies

What will management look like tomorrow?

Until a few years ago, a good manager was someone who knew how to lead people, develop strategy, interpret reports, and make decisions.

Today, that is no longer enough.

In the near future, when you walk into a conference room, you likely won’t just be sitting alongside marketing, finance, and operations managers. On the screen, you will also see forecasts generated by artificial intelligence, models analyzing real-time data, and AI tools proposing potential courses of action.

Your role will not be to develop the technology, but rather to understand it—to know which questions to ask, to evaluate the quality of the information provided, and, above all, to make decisions and lead people and organizations in a reality where artificial intelligence is an integral part of the workflow.

It is with this understanding that the B.Sc. program was developed within the Department of Management at Bar-Ilan University. New Program: AI-Driven Management (subject to CHE approval) – A program designed to adapt management studies to a world where artificial intelligence is no longer just another organizational tool, but an integral part of how an organization operates.

What is required of managers today?

Artificial intelligence is no longer the exclusive domain of developers. It is transforming how organizations make decisions, market products, manage employees, plan supply chains, provide services, and drive innovation.

Consequently, the role of the manager is also evolving. Managers must understand both the opportunities presented by artificial intelligence and its limitations; they need to know when to rely on it, how to integrate it into workflows, and how to leverage it to lead organizational change.

How do we prepare managers for an AI-driven world?

While an increasing number of academic programs now incorporate artificial intelligence, Bar-Ilan’s new program is built on a different approach.

Unlike many programs rooted in computer science, technology, or information systems, this program takes the world of management as its starting point. The goal is not to train algorithm developers or software engineers, but rather managers who understand how to harness artificial intelligence to meet business needs. ...the organization.

Graduates of the program are not intended to develop AI systems themselves. The goal of the training is to equip them to work alongside data professionals, engineers, and developers—to understand their language, ask the right questions, and translate technological capabilities into managerial decisions. This is also what sets the program apart: rather than simply adding AI courses to a management curriculum, it establishes a track where management, data, and artificial intelligence are integrated throughout the entire degree.

This philosophy underpins the entire program: it is not just about learning AI—it is about learning how to manage in an AI-driven world.

How does one design a curriculum for a world that is constantly changing?

The structure of the program itself reflects the transformation occurring in the field of management. It is not organized as a mere collection of courses, but rather as a progressive training path, where each stage builds upon previously acquired knowledge and lays the groundwork for the next.

Studies begin with a quantitative foundation—mathematics, statistics, economics, Python, and information systems. From there, the curriculum advances into the realms of data, business intelligence, machine learning, and AI models. Subsequently, this knowledge is applied to areas such as marketing, operations, strategy, decision-making, ethics, and risk management. Each layer introduces new capabilities while remaining connected to the layers that preceded it. ...and subsequently, through practical application in projects and seminars during the third year—where knowledge moves beyond the classroom and into the "laboratory," tackling real-world management challenges.

How do you teach a profession that is itself undergoing constant change?

To prepare managers for a shifting landscape, the very method of instruction must also evolve.

Faculty members participate in specialized training focused on integrating artificial intelligence into their teaching. This includes working with language models, AI agents, intelligent teaching assistants, automation tools, and advanced technologies designed for developing course materials and managing coursework.

For you, as students, this means that the learning environment itself evolves in tandem with the professional world. You aren’t just learning about a changing world—you are experiencing it firsthand in the classroom, well before you even enter the job market.

And what happens after graduation?

Today’s professional world seeks individuals capable of bridging the gap between technology and business needs. Managers who know how to collaborate with data and development teams, interpret data-driven decisions, lead AI projects, and implement new organizational processes are becoming increasingly vital as artificial intelligence becomes more deeply embedded in business operations.

The knowledge and skills acquired during the degree program enable graduates to integrate... ...across a variety of fields: product management, business intelligence and analytics, innovation, data-driven marketing, operations management, business consulting, project management, and risk management.

Yet perhaps the program’s most significant contribution lies not in any specific role, but in the mindset it seeks to cultivate: the ability to learn, adapt, bridge different fields of knowledge, and lead people—even in a reality where not every question has a single, clear answer.

This is precisely the capability that will set you apart a few years from now—in that same conference room where we began—distinguishing those who merely react to change from those who lead it.