AI Will Change MBAs, Not Leadership: IMD President On India’s Global Education Rise

David Bach, President of IMD, discusses the evolving landscape of management education in the age of Artificial Intelligence. Speaking with Siddharth Zarabi at the World Government Summit, Bach emphasizes that while AI is a potent tool for productivity, ‘the MBA remains incredibly important’ because it constantly reinvents itself. He highlights that Indian students now constitute the single largest group at IMD Lausanne, making up 20% of the program. Bach notes that Indian leaders possess a unique ‘resilience and adaptability’ born from navigating volatility, which serves them well in the current global environment. The conversation explores how AI will transform the traditional case study method into interactive simulations and how modern leaders must become lifelong learners to stay relevant. Bach also touches upon IMD’s interest in India’s growing economy and the impact of shifting globalization logic on business leadership.