Künstliche Intelligenz: KI stellt Karriereversprechen infrage: Wie viel bringt der MBA künftig noch?

In the rapidly changing world of work, Oliver Eckard returns to a landscape vastly different from the one he left twelve months ago. Having recently completed his Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, the 30-year-old engineering graduate feels ready to advance his career. He aims for a role in international sales, seeking greater responsibility.

However, upon his return to the software industry, he encounters a new colleague who knows every detail from sales conversations, listens attentively, and never forgets. This colleague leverages artificial intelligence (AI) to maintain contact with thousands of customers simultaneously and delivers market analysis before even taking the first sip of coffee.

Eckard remarks, "It's a completely different way of working compared to two years ago." AI can now handle more than routine tasks; it analyzes markets, conducts sales conversations, collects and interprets data, and creates increasingly accurate forecasts. These are tasks that previously required human junior managers. According to a survey by global university network GMAC, one in three employers has already replaced entry-level positions with AI.

The smart algorithms, however, eliminate the lower rungs of career ladders and create a skills gap for companies in the long term. "Artificial intelligence is tearing apart classic career paths," states Sebastian Reiche, a professor at IESE Business School, who investigates how organizations can nurture and retain young talent. His analysis indicates that companies will increasingly rely on lateral entrants in the future.

They may also rotate their own employees through different jobs or recruit more young talent from the startup world. The job market and AI: No apocalypse, but chaos. Experts do not foresee mass layoffs due to AI, but rather job chaos. Gartner analyst Helen Poitevin predicts that starting from 2028, around 150,000 jobs worldwide will change so significantly that they will need to be defined differently.

At the same time, about 70,000 new positions will emerge daily. "AI does not simply divide the job market into winners and losers," says Bastian Zipfel, Director Open Programs at WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management. Instead, AI fundamentally changes how we perform tasks. It does not discriminate against certain professions or academic degrees.

The global uncertainty surrounding AI also challenges the business models of business schools and other educational providers. They promise that an academic degree leads to career advancement, and it now feels risky to invest in an MBA when it is unclear what positions will exist in one or two years. Reiche considers this short-sighted.

As knowledge becomes increasingly valuable due to the AI revolution and the demand for further education rises, those who wish to avoid losing their competitive edge cannot afford not to continue their education. Especially continuing education programs in business schools are in high demand at the moment, according to Reiche. WHU Director Zipfel also observes an increasing need for ongoing education around AI.

Not only do AI algorithms render existing job profiles obsolete, but they also change the requirements for current and future managers. "The expectation from job descriptions and interview processes is clear: anyone who has completed their studies must now deal responsibly with AI," says Adrian Buss, Associate Professor of Finance at the Frankfurt School, who mentors both groups.

This goes beyond merely applying AI tools. The post-KI revolution era demands empathetic managers. "What we are seeing on the job market right now is only the beginning of a lasting upheaval," adds Kaan Bludau, a senior human resources consultant advising large corporations on senior position appointments. He believes that in the AI age, a new type of manager is needed: integrative, empathetic, skilled in handling both data and people.

In the daily work of MBA graduate Oliver Eckard, AI has already become a fundamental competency. What particularly interests him is that in the job search process, deeply human qualities such as emotional intelligence are now crucial. "Employers are looking for different things than they did at the beginning of my career," Eckard notes.

This is due to the new requirements brought about by the use of AI. Focusing on these changing demands, management schools like WHU, IESE, and the Frankfurt School have revised existing programs and created new ones. They focus on developing human skills alongside AI competencies.