Asia is fast becoming a major global player in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
China in particular is prioritizing technological development in its plans for the next few years, with a sophisticated national strategy that will see the country’s AI industry grow to be worth almost $60 billion by 2030.
In this climate of fast-paced growth, opportunities are ripe for MBAs to take advantage of the tech boom—and CUHK Business School in Hong Kong is helping its students do just that.
Kevin Burns is a current CUHK MBA, and he chose CUHK for its proximity to technological change in Asia.
“I love being part of change,” he says. “I’ve been working in change management for quite some time, and I wanted to increase my global experience.”
Close proximity to tech hubs
When initially selecting an MBA, Kevin knew that he didn’t want to dive straight into Chinese business to the exclusion of other parts of the world. Hong Kong as a location seemed like the perfect transitional space—and CUHK Business School in particular what he was looking for.
“CUHK has very strong ties to China and Shenzhen, one of the biggest technology hubs in the world right now,” he explains. “We have great exposure to major tech companies like Tencent and Huawei, and the drone manufacturers DJI are right next door.”
This closeness to cutting-edge businesses has a potent effect on the MBA program. Even traditional core courses such as strategy are invested with an awareness of tech and AI’s influence on the market.
For instance, as a student on the innovation and entrepreneurship concentration, Kevin is focusing on Wal Mart, analysing ways for the company to stay relevant in a competitive digital marketplace.
“I’m studying how they can stay relevant against competitors such as Amazon and Tencent, that are already so digitalized and working with AI and machine learning,” says Kevin. “We have hands-on experience of how to use AI to improve current business processes.”
