AI at Sloan in 2026: More Than One Elective

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“MIT is strong in AI” is true, but it does not tell an MBA student what the experience actually looks like.

A better question is where AI shows up during the two years. Right now, it appears in early MBA programming, elective coursework, technical classes across MIT, Action Learning, research and entrepreneurship. How deep a student goes depends heavily on background and choices.

There is some early exposure before you choose a technical path

In a 2026 interview, Aditi Ramakrishnan, MBA '26, described an orientation AI masterclass covering prompting, business use cases and checks and balances. Assistant Dean Maura Herson separately described an AI Foundations workshop during the first week of classes.

For the 2026-27 curriculum, Sloan also lists an AI Proseminar among the optional Core-semester proseminars.

Taken together, these point to an early baseline of AI exposure, but not one common technical sequence that every MBA completes.

Students who want depth can go much further

Hardi Vajir, MBA '26, describes Hands-On Deep Learning as a class where students build models rather than only discuss AI strategy. Her path also included AI research and additional computer-science coursework.

The Generative AI Lab offers another route. MIT currently lists it as 15.566, a 9-unit spring course, and Sloan describes it as hands-on Action Learning built around real host projects. The course has evolved since its first spring 2025 cohort, so students should use the current catalog rather than older archived requirement details.

That distinction matters. An MBA who wants to evaluate AI products, someone who wants to build with APIs, and a former engineer who wants a technically demanding project may need very different course plans.

AI is also becoming part of work outside “AI courses”

A 2026 Sloan retrospective on delta v Demo Day describes MBA '26 founder Murtaza Jameel using AI in ideation, go-to-market work and product development. Michael Autery, MBA '26, describes using MIT Entrepreneurship JetPack in two entrepreneurship courses to test and refine ideas.

That does not make every entrepreneurship class an AI class. It shows something more useful: AI is becoming part of how some Sloan students do the work in other parts of the MBA.

If you’re at Sloan now, help keep this one current

AI offerings can change quickly. A firsthand update from the Class of 2027 or 2028 may be more useful than a two-year-old course list.

If you’re a current student, alum or staff member, reply below and tell us:

  • Which AI sessions are required for the whole MBA class right now?
  • Which classes are genuinely accessible to someone without a technical background?
  • What preparation did you need before GenAI Lab or a more technical MIT course?
  • How are professors handling AI use in assignments and team projects?
  • Which new offerings have become important since the Class of 2026?
  • If you’re recruiting for product, consulting or entrepreneurship, what AI learning has actually helped you in interviews or on the job?

Please name the course, program and term when possible. “There is a lot of AI at MIT” is easy to say. The useful part is knowing what you can actually do with it.

For a longer firsthand account, share it in MBA Journeys.

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