The BSB EDGE Blog

A deeper look into ethical frameworks, standards and future-oriented curriculum

By Katyayani Mishra

Not long ago, artificial intelligence was the stuff of science fiction. Today, it’s in our pockets, our offices, our supply chains—and increasingly, our boardrooms. From predictive analytics to automated hiring, AI is transforming the way businesses operate. But with this transformation comes a wave of ethical questions that are anything but straightforward.

What happens when algorithms make decisions that affect people’s lives—who gets hired, who gets approved for a loan, or even who gets healthcare? What responsibilities do business leaders have when deploying AI tools that may reinforce bias, exploit data, or displace human workers? And perhaps most importantly: Are we preparing future leaders to ask the right questions about AI, not just how to use it?

At BSB Edge, we believe the future of business education must not only embrace technology but interrogate it. As AI continues to reshape industries, we must also reshape how we teach ethics—moving from abstract theory to active inquiry. Because when it comes to AI, it’s not just about what we can do; it’s about what we should do.

The Ethics Gap in Business and Tech

While technical knowledge has surged ahead, ethical reflection has often lagged behind. We’ve seen companies race to adopt AI for efficiency and profit, only to face public backlash when opaque algorithms cause harm or injustice. Facial recognition tools misidentify people of color. Automated systems deny loans without accountability. Recruitment platforms reinforce gender bias. These aren’t rare edge cases—they’re becoming headlines.

In many ways, this points to a gap—not just in governance or regulation, but in education. Traditional business curricula have long treated ethics as a checkbox, a course or two at best. But in an AI-driven world, ethical decision-making must be woven into the very fabric of how we prepare future leaders. It can no longer be an afterthought.

Reframing the Classroom: From Rules to Responsibility

Teaching AI ethics isn’t just about listing principles like fairness, transparency, and accountability. It’s about training students to recognize dilemmas, understand context, and make tough calls in the gray areas where technology and humanity meet.

Let’s say a company uses an AI model to scan job applications. It speeds up hiring and cuts costs. But it turns out the model was trained on past data that reflects historical hiring biases. What do you do? Do you scrap the system? Adjust the data? Who takes responsibility?

These are the kinds of scenarios business students must wrestle with. And it’s not enough to ask, “Is this legal?” The real question is: Is this just?

At BSB Edge, we advocate for a shift—from compliance-based ethics education to values-based, inquiry-driven learning. We want students to learn not just how to follow the rules, but how to question them. And how to lead when the rules are still being written.

Teaching the Right Questions

So, what are the right questions when it comes to AI and ethics in business education? Some of the most important ones aren’t technical—they’re human.

Questions that matter include:

• Who benefits from this AI system—and who might be harmed?
• What assumptions is the algorithm making about people, behavior, or values?
• How transparent is the decision-making process? Can it be explained?
• What happens when the system fails—and who is held accountable?
• How does this technology align with the company’s stated values?

By embedding these kinds of questions into classroom discussion, case studies, and even tech-oriented projects, we ensure that ethics isn’t an isolated topic—it becomes a lens for leadership.

The Role of Ethical Frameworks in Decision-Making

Ethical inquiry benefits from structure. While no framework can offer all the answers, they do help guide reflection and discussion. At BSB Edge, we integrate established ethical theories with modern-day dilemmas to help students navigate complexity.

Some useful frameworks include:

• Utilitarianism: What action brings the greatest good for the greatest number?
• Deontological Ethics: What are our duties and obligations, regardless of outcomes?
• Virtue Ethics: What kind of leader—or organization—do we want to be?
• Justice Ethics: Are decisions equitable and inclusive, especially for vulnerable or underrepresented groups?
• Care Ethics: Are we accounting for relationships, responsibilities, and emotional impacts?

These frameworks are not boxes to tick—they’re tools to help students slow down, consider implications, and balance competing values in the real world of business.

From Case Studies to Co-Creation

Much like we do with case-based learning, our approach to AI ethics is grounded in active participation. It’s not about handing students answers—it’s about engaging them in dialogue, debate, and design.

For example, we might present a case involving a logistics company using AI to automate delivery routes. Students would analyze not just the efficiency gains, but also the labor implications: How are drivers affected? What’s the environmental impact? How do stakeholders react? From there, they might propose an ethically grounded strategy—not just a financially sound one.

We also encourage students to co-create their own AI use cases—developing prototypes, assessing risks, and presenting governance plans. This not only builds tech fluency, but also empathy and foresight.

A Future-Oriented Curriculum

Preparing students for today’s AI dilemmas isn’t enough. We also have to prepare them for tomorrow’s—many of which haven’t even emerged yet.

That’s why at BSB Edge, we emphasize:

• Including emerging topics like generative AI, algorithmic bias, and data privacy rights
• Encouraging interdisciplinary thinking, blending business, technology, sociology, and philosophy
• Offering experiential learning—simulations, AI ethics labs, stakeholder roleplays
• Promoting lifelong ethical reasoning as a core leadership competency

We also explore global frameworks like the OECD AI Principles, the EU AI Act, and UNESCO’s AI ethics guidelines to help students understand how ethical standards are evolving worldwide.

By teaching students not only to keep pace with technology, but to question its trajectory, we empower them to become thoughtful contributors to AI governance and responsible innovation.

The Stakes Are Real—and Personal

Here’s the thing: AI isn’t some distant force. It’s shaping our daily lives, our workplaces, and our institutions. And the decisions leaders make today will ripple far into the future.

That’s why ethical leadership in the age of AI is not just a technical challenge—it’s a deeply human one. It’s about being willing to slow down in a world that urges us to move fast. To ask difficult questions when easy answers are available. To choose responsibility over convenience.

In business education, the real measure of success won’t be how well students can operate a tool—but whether they know when not to.