New Executive Education programme launched to help leaders innovate with AI

Warwick Business School has unveiled a new Executive Education programme aimed at senior leaders seeking to harness AI as a catalyst for business innovation.

Artificial intelligence has dominated boardroom conversations in recent years. Yet while many organisations have experimented with generative AI tools, far fewer have worked out how to translate its promise into sustained business innovation.

To help bridge this gap, WBS has developed the two-day AI for Business Innovation programme to be held at WBS London at The Shard.

The programme explores how leaders can use the technology to rethink how their organisation identifies opportunities, solves problems, develops new products and services, and responds quicker to changing market conditions.

Pietro Micheli, Professor of Business Performance and Innovation and Programme Director, said: “AI is transforming how we work and how we innovate. The challenge is to understand how to effectively use AI to create value, drive growth and build more innovative organisations.

“Although AI capabilities have advanced rapidly, organisations often find themselves constrained by legacy systems, risk-averse cultures, siloed working practices and decision-making processes that struggle to keep pace.

“The programme reflects a growing recognition that building a competitive advantage will increasingly depend not only on access to AI tools, but on an organisation's ability to integrate them into its innovation processes.”

The first day will concentrate on exploring the innovation trends shaping the future of business and the barriers that prevent organisations from innovating effectively.

On day two, participants will look at how generative and agentic AI can accelerate innovation, from identifying opportunities and generating ideas to testing, implementing and scaling solutions.

By the end of the programme, participants will have designed a practical roadmap for driving change in their organisation.

The two days will also see industry speakers give their perspective and insights, with topics ranging from opportunity identification and experimentation through to product development, operational improvement and business model innovation.

The deadline for applications is October 27, with the course running on November 17 and 18 at the School’s London base.

Driving innovation with AI

Professor Micheli, who has worked with and consulted for the likes of insurers Allianz, bank HSBC, car firms Aston Martin and Jaguar Land Rover, pharma companies Astra Zeneca and GSK, and energy giants BP and Shell plus the UAE Government and the UK Cabinet Office, said: “The programme will explore the leadership approaches, governance structures and cultural conditions required to support innovation at scale, while helping executives challenge existing assumptions and adopt more agile ways of working.

“For many organisations, the difficulty lies less in understanding what AI can do than in determining where it can deliver measurable value.

“The programme places a strong emphasis on practical application and encouraging participants to identify opportunities within their own businesses.

“The curriculum is designed to equip leaders with frameworks that can be applied immediately, helping them evaluate investment opportunities, accelerate problem-solving, improve decision-making and create environments where innovation can flourish.

“We will be focused on a practical question confronting leaders across every sector - how can organisations use AI to innovate, grow and remain competitive in an increasingly AI-driven world.”

Find out more about the AI for Business Innovation programme.

Discover Warwick Business School’s Change Makers.