BusinessWire India
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], March 17: As artificial intelligence moves rapidly from experimentation to enterprise adoption, it is reshaping not only how work gets done but also what leadership looks like across industries. According to McKinsey & Company, generative AI could automate or augment up to 60-70% of tasks across knowledge-based roles, fundamentally changing how professionals work. Similarly, research from the Boston Consulting Group suggests that organisations integrating AI into decision-making and operations are already seeing productivity gains of 30-40% in certain functions, particularly in marketing, operations, and customer analytics.
New research conducted by CyberMedia Research and Scaler highlights the scale of this transition. The study found that 88% of engineers and recruiters expect AI to significantly change job roles within the next two to three years. At the same time, while 89% of professionals believe they are AI-ready, only 19% are deeply engaged in real AI or machine learning work, revealing a widening gap between confidence and capability.
As AI becomes embedded across functions such as marketing, finance, product strategy, and operations, the challenge is no longer access to AI tools but the ability to use them meaningfully. Companies increasingly need leaders who can combine strong business fundamentals with an understanding of AI and technology, bridging strategic thinking with technological capability.
To address this emerging leadership skills gap, Scaler recently introduced its PGP in Business & AI, a 12-month online master's certificate programme designed for working professionals preparing for management and leadership roles in a technology-driven economy. Building on over a decade of experience training engineers and professionals in advanced technology skills, Scaler brings deep expertise in teaching complex technical concepts through industry-led instruction and hands-on learning. Scaler has also committed INR 50 crore over the next two years to scale the programme, expand industry partnerships, and deepen applied learning infrastructure.
"AI is fundamentally reshaping how organisations operate. The leaders who will succeed in this environment are those who combine strong business fundamentals with fluency in data, technology, and AI-driven decision making," said Abhimanyu Saxena, Co-founder of Scaler and InterviewBit. "Management education needs to evolve accordingly. Leaders can no longer operate purely from a strategy perspective without understanding the technologies shaping their industries. This gap between technological change and leadership readiness is precisely what programmes like Scaler's Online PGP in Business & AI aim to address."
Scaler's Online PGP in Business and AI blends core management education with technology awareness and applied AI concepts. The programme begins with a foundation phase covering structural thinking, data analysis, business communication, research, and quantitative methods, before moving into a management mastery stage that explores strategy, finance, marketing, economics, operations, and team management. Learners are then introduced to AI fundamentals, including how modern AI systems work from transformers and embeddings to reasoning models, and how these technologies can be applied safely and effectively in real business contexts. The programme culminates in a major industry capstone project in which participants work on real business challenges sourced from enterprise partners, spanning go-to-market strategy, digital operations, customer intelligence, and growth strategy.
Designed as an upskilling programme for working professionals, the curriculum emphasises hands-on learning through real-world assignments, decision labs, projects, and mentorship from industry leaders. Learners also gain access to Scaler's AI-powered learning assistant and to the founders and industry networks to help them transition into management and leadership roles.
To maintain a high level of interaction and mentorship, the programme follows a highly selective cohort-based model, admitting only 50 learners per batch. Participants go through a structured admissions process to ensure a strong mix of professionals across technology, consulting, product, and business roles. By limiting cohort size, Scaler aims to enable deeper faculty engagement, collaborative peer learning, and more personalised mentorship throughout the programme.
The Scaler-CMR study also shows that professionals increasingly prefer learning models that mirror real workplace demands. More than 80% of learners prioritise hands-on projects, while recruiters place greater emphasis on real-world problem-solving and project experience over theoretical knowledge when evaluating candidates.
As AI continues to reshape industries, the future of leadership will increasingly belong to professionals who can bridge business strategy, data, and technology. Programmes that integrate these capabilities into management education will play an important role in preparing professionals for the next decade of business leadership.
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