Universities urged to embrace continuous learning and innovation in AI era

Universities must move beyond incremental changes and embrace continuous learning, experimentation and innovation to keep pace with the exponential growth of artificial intelligence (AI), said Soumitra Dutta, advisor to the SRM Group.

Delivering the keynote address at a symposium on ‘Advancing Management Knowledge in the AI Era: Research Frontiers and Future’ organised by the Paari School of Business (PSB) at SRM University-A.P., he highlighted the close links between engineering advancements and modern digital ecosystems. He also stressed the need for developing countries such as India to strengthen their technological capabilities and research networks to participate effectively in global innovation, particularly as computing infrastructure remains concentrated in a few wealthy economies.

The symposium, themed ‘Reimagining Management through AI’, brought together academics and researchers to examine the impact of artificial intelligence on management practices, economic models, organisational transformation and global business.

During a chat on human capital, leadership and organisational transformation, Allan Bird of the Goa Institute of Management and Michael Stevens of Weber State University explored the implications of AI for organisational strategy and decision-making. They discussed globalisation in terms of ease of communication, systemic interdependence and operational complexity.

The speakers emphasised the importance of cognitive engagement and independent thinking, cautioning against excessive dependence on automated tools.

Ashay Kadam, dean of PSB, said the business school was integrating AI into its curriculum and departmental workflows while conducting faculty development programmes to improve the use of AI in teaching and research. These initiatives were aimed at preparing students for changing industry requirements and advancing the institution’s ambition to become AI-native.

Ranjit Thapa, Dean-Research, SRM-A.P., underscored the importance of adapting to intelligent environments to strengthen India’s global research standing. He said academic research should deliver tangible societal benefits beyond journal publications and highlighted the need to update financial systems to withstand emerging computational challenges.

The symposium will be followed by a five-day Early Career Researchers’ Publishing Boot Camp led by Allan Bird and Elizabeth L. Rose to mentor scholars in preparing manuscripts for leading international academic publications.