ISB’s “Leadership with AI” Programme Empowers Executives for GenAI
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ISB Online launches its flagship executive programme to build AI fluency, strengthen AI governance, and align leadership strategy with AI-augmented decision making
Hyderabad / Bengaluru — October 2025
ISB’s “Leadership with AI” Programme Empowers Executives for GenAI & Agentic AI Era
In response to the accelerating adoption of artificial intelligence across industries, ISB Online has launched its Leadership with AI programme aimed at equipping senior leaders and professionals with AI leadership, AI fluency, and strategic skills to thrive in a GenAI and Agentic AI era. The programme, part of ISB’s Executive offerings, blends modules on AI governance, AI-driven leadership, AI strategy, and AI-augmented decision making — positioning graduates to lead in organizations where AI is not just a tool, but a strategic partner.
With nearly 22 prior batches and over 5,500 alumni, ISB’s programme is designed for experienced executives from diverse sectors seeking to translate the potential of Generative AI (GenAI) and Agentic AI into business value.
Why the Programme Matters: The Leadership Gap in an AI-Driven World
As AI becomes deeply embedded in business processes, the role of leaders is shifting from delegators to integrators of AI. A recent McKinsey insight revealed that while 92% of companies plan to increase AI investment over the next three years, only 1% of leaders believe their organizations have reached true AI maturity.
This gap in AI fluency means many organizations risk misalignment between technology teams and strategic leadership. ISB’s Leadership with AI programme aims to close that gulf by providing frameworks for AI governance, helping leaders craft AI strategy, and equipping them to oversee AI-augmented decision making rather than outsourcing it to technical teams.
Moreover, the rise of Agentic AI — systems that act autonomously based on goals and context — brings new challenges. Leaders need to determine when to trust agents, when to override them, and how to institutionalize accountability. The programme’s curriculum addresses this frontier.
Programme Structure, Highlights & Learning Experience
Duration & Format
The programme runs for 20 weeks, delivered fully online with a mix of pre-recorded content, live “office hours,” group discussions, and a capstone project.
Core Components
- 140+ video lectures covering foundational AI, GenAI applications, Agentic AI tools, business case studies, and leadership frameworks
- 20+ real-world case studies and 40+ assignments to deepen practical insight
- Live doubt-clearing sessions (“office hours”) with programme leaders to support concept clarity
- A capstone project where participants design AI-driven initiatives and strategies for their organizations
Intended Audience
The programme targets senior leaders, functional heads, and strategic professionals who wish to lead AI adoption in their organizations. Prior technical coding knowledge is not required — the emphasis is on strategic understanding, not technical depth.
Alumni & Recognition
Successful participants receive a certificate from ISB and status in the ISB Online Alumni network.
Core Themes & Leadership Capability Areas
1. AI Fluency & Strategic Literacy
Participants are guided to move beyond tool-level familiarity to strategic AI literacy — understanding capabilities, risks, and limitations. They explore GenAI use cases (e.g. content, design, code), architecture constraints, and scenario planning.
2. Agentic AI & Autonomy
The programme confronts the coming wave of autonomous systems — defining how to orchestrate agentic systems, set guardrails, and design escalation paths. This is critical for AI-driven leadership when decisions are partially delegated to systems.
3. AI Governance & Ethical Oversight
Robust governance is central: ensuring fairness, transparency, auditability, privacy, and risk control. Participants learn frameworks to govern AI operations, set policies, and align them with organizational values
4. AI Strategy & Integration
Leaders are taught how to integrate AI with business strategy: spotting value levers, aligning with organizational priorities, managing change, and scaling pilot projects to enterprise impact.
5. AI-Augmented Decision Making
AI shouldn’t replace judgment — it should augment it. The curriculum helps frameworks for hybrid decision systems, setting thresholds, deciding when override is needed, and designing feedback loops
Impact & Participant Stories
Alumni testify that the programme has transformed how they approach leadership and innovation. In a learner story, Vasudha Neel Mani, a school principal, describes how she balanced education leadership with AI strategy, completing assignments in evenings and applying learnings to design student well-being tools using AI.
Another participant, Jamadagni Kotamsetty, a tech executive, credits the programme with helping him frame AI initiatives in his organization and align them with business outcomes.
Challenges & Critiques
While ambitious, the programme does face some challenges:
- Risk of superficiality: Because participants are non-technical, there’s a danger of shallow understanding. The programme counters this with practical assignments and mentoring.
- Change management: Learning AI is one thing; embedding it into organizational culture is another. Leaders will need to manage resistance and align stakeholders.
- Ethical and regulatory complexity: In many sectors, regulation is catching up. Leaders must stay ahead of evolving rules, especially around data privacy, bias, and transparency.
- Pace of AI shift: AI evolves fast; maintaining curriculum relevance is a challenge. ISB addresses this by updating modules and bringing in guest expert sessions.
Broader Significance & Market Context
The timing is critical. ISB’s offering responds to market demand: as more organizations invest in AI, leadership capability often lags. The programme aims to create a generation of AI-savvy executives who can speak both the language of strategy and of AI — facilitating cohesion between business and technical teams.
Some observers view this as part of a broader trend in business education: where AI leadership programmes become compulsory in executive development. Others suggest the rise of Chief AI Officers and AI governance boards will become standard in corporations.
If ISB can deliver on this promise — that leaders leave more confident, strategic, and aligned with AI — it may set a benchmark. The winners may be organizations where leadership is not just visionary but also AI-literate and accountable.
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