Is your organization ready to harness AI’s full potential? Discover how new executive education programs from Saïd Business School, University of Oxford and the London School of Economics and Political Sciences can equip your leaders to develop effective AI strategies, adapt business models, and respond to changes in AI policy, ensuring your company keeps pace with innovation.
Leaders’ lack of upskilling may be slowing down AI transformation
Are your leaders lagging in the AI race? A 2025 McKinsey report shows that C-Suite executives are more inclined to identify employee readiness as an obstacle to AI adoption than their own leadership alignment. This is despite the fact that employees are currently using generative AI at three times the rate leaders expect. C-suite leaders must prepare their organizations and employees for the impending impact of AI on their business, and also anticipate changes to their own roles. edX research shows CEOs express greater apprehension about integrating AI into their roles and are more concerned about falling behind than their employees.
Source: 2024 edX AI Report – Harnessing AI for a Sustainable Future
This gap between employee adoption and leadership strategy is further highlighted by the fact that while employees are readily embracing AI, they also express concerns about its impact on their roles. A recent edX survey found that nearly half of current workers believe that advancements in AI will impact their immediate career goals – and 62% are upskilling or reskilling in response.
Leaders are responsible for driving AI transformation. If leaders don’t recognize the role they play in ensuring strategic alignment around AI adoption, and don’t increase their own AI capabilities – they could put their organizations at risk.
Imagine a financial services company where the CEO viewed AI only as a tool, not a strategic priority. When the CTO proposed pilot projects for AI integration – they were rejected or stalled due to budget cuts, perceived risk and a lack of understanding from the C-Suite. Given the pace of AI innovation in the industry, in a short period of time, the company starts to fall behind – losing its competitive edge, delivering a subpar client experience and ultimately losing talent due to frustration from forward-thinking employees. The company could have turned this around by creating a unified, forward-looking AI strategy for their company.
Industries leading the way in AI Upskilling for Leaders
Leaders must champion high-quality, credible AI upskilling for their employees and lead by example through their own continuous learning. Enrollment data from edX Executive Education programs, including both company-sponsored and self-funded learners, reveals key learning trends among leaders. The ranking below shows the top industries by enrollment within the AI vertical, highlighting the leading sectors for AI upskilling1:
- Financial Services
- Health Care Or Biotech
- Information Technology Or Services
- Consulting
- Education
- Engineering Or Construction
- Energy Or Mining
- Public Sector
- Manufacturing
- Advertising, Media, Or Communications
12U internal data. (2025). 2U, LLC. Retrieved July 2025
Leaders are committed to their own AI development. To support this, learning and development managers can offer tailored programs and resources designed to meet leaders’ specific AI upskilling requirements and strategic goals.
New Executive Education Programs in AI Innovation and AI Policy from Saïd Business School, University of Oxford and the London School of Economics and Political Sciences
The new programs are designed for leaders who need to balance speed, innovation and risk — in a time when companies are facing fast-paced AI advancements, changes in the regulatory environment and pressure to remain competitive. The Oxford AI-Driven Business Transformation Executive Programme is one of edX’s most comprehensive AI programs for leaders. The program serves as a learning pathway which combines content from three leading Oxford programs in Artificial Intelligence, Strategic Innovation and Executive Strategy. Over the course of 5 months, leaders from diverse industries will engage in an in-depth learning journey, participating in live sessions with faculty and a cohort of peers. Leaders walk away with a playbook to immediately implement what they learn in their organizations.
The LSE AI: Law, Policy and Governance course focuses on current regulatory changes in Europe, with direct coverage of the new AI Act. This 6-week course will be highly relevant to companies operating or doing business in Europe, but also takes a global perspective, comparing national approaches to AI regulation in the UK, US and China. As employees look to their companies to balance speed, innovation and risk – the course offers timely and critical lessons to prepare leaders for the future.
In addition to the two new featured programs, edX offers an extensive portfolio of leadership, AI and digital transformation programs, including:
- Oxford Artificial Intelligence Programme (6 weeks)
- Oxford Executive Leadership Programme (8 weeks)
- LSE Ethics of AI (3 weeks)
- Yale Digital Transformation Strategy (6 weeks)
- The Economist Education: Artificial Intelligence: Understanding and Applying AI in Business (2 weeks)
Why it Matters for Learning and Development:
The programs are the perfect fit with high-priority initiatives aimed at senior leaders and managers in the leadership pipeline. The programs can support organization’s learning and development goals through:
- Increased ROI on training: The cohort-based programs yield higher completion rates, and offer playbooks and frameworks for application in the context of your organization.
- Improved talent retention: The programs offer an opportunity to invest in innovative and forward-thinking leaders, motivating them to build towards your companies’ most ambitious goals.
- Reduced business risk: L&D managers can mitigate business risk by offering high-quality, credible learning opportunities from trusted institutions and experts. This empowers leaders to make well-informed decisions.
Ready to develop confident, AI-savvy leaders?
Contact us today for a tailored consultation on how these programs can fast-track your organization’s AI readiness.
