KEDGE Business School has released the results of an OpinionWay survey¹ conducted in October 2025 on how managers are using artificial intelligence – and how AI is changing the way teams are led.
The findings show that AI is now firmly embedded in managerial practice. But they also reveal a clear generational divide. Younger managers are adopting AI quickly and using it as a day-to-day management tool, while older generations remain more cautious, selective and focused on control.
As AI continues to transform the workplace, KEDGE Business School is strengthening both its degree programmes and executive education offer to help managers across all age groups combine technological efficiency with ethical judgement and human leadership.
Key findings
- 89% of managers under 40 say they have adapted their management practices, compared with 74% of managers over 50
- 90% of managers under 40 have revised how they assess performance, versus 60% of older managers
- More than half of younger managers (55%) report generational tensions within their teams
- 48% of managers under 40 expect management to change dramatically within five years, compared with 28% of managers over 50
AI is now mainstream – but not used in the same way
AI adoption among managers has accelerated sharply over the past two years. In 2023, just one in five managers said they were using tools such as ChatGPT. By 2025, more than 80% use them at least occasionally.
Most managers see AI first and foremost as a productivity tool. It is widely used for research, summarising documents and drafting or refining written communications. But its role increasingly extends into people management. Many managers now turn to AI for advice, performance review preparation and support in handling difficult situations.
Age is the key factor shaping these practices. Almost nine out of ten managers under 40 use AI, compared with fewer than three quarters of those over 50. Among younger managers, AI is already embedded in decision-making and day-to-day management. They are twice as likely as older managers to use it for managerial guidance, performance reviews or conflict management.
For more senior managers, AI is still something to be learned and controlled. For younger generations, it has become a management companion.
A tool that saves time – and raises new questions
Most managers agree that AI makes them more efficient: nearly three quarters say it helps them save time. At the same time, many feel it complicates their role and risks weakening human relationships at work.
These tensions are particularly visible in performance management. Younger managers have meaningfully changed the way they evaluate work since AI entered the picture, placing greater emphasis on creativity, initiative and human contribution. Older managers, by contrast, continue to prioritise reliability, oversight and consistency.
The same divide can be seen within teams. AI use is now almost universal among employees under 40, while adoption remains lower among older staff. Younger managers are also far more likely to lead teams where AI is used intensively on a daily basis.
Gender differences, meanwhile, are limited. Usage rates among men and women are broadly similar, confirming that generation – not gender – is the defining factor.
Looking ahead, just over a third of managers believe AI will fundamentally transform management within five years. Once again, expectations differ sharply by age: younger managers anticipate deep and rapid change, while older managers foresee a more gradual evolution.
The challenge for organisations will be to bring these two approaches together and ensure AI is used in a shared, responsible and constructive way.
KEDGE Business School: preparing managers for an AI-enabled future
In response to these shifts, KEDGE Business School has made AI a core pillar of its KEDGE 2030 strategy.
The School’s objective is to train leaders who can work effectively with AI while preserving judgement, ethics and human values.
“AI is already changing the foundations of management. The real issue is not learning how to use a tool, but redefining what it means to be a manager. At KEDGE, we support both professionals who are adapting their practices today and students who will lead tomorrow – in a world where technology enhances human intelligence, rather than replacing it,”
says Alexandre de Navailles, General Manager of KEDGE Business School.
AI at the heart of degree programmes
AI is now embedded across all KEDGE programmes, from the Grande École (MIM) Programme to specialised MScs.
The school has also launched a trustworthy AI chair with academic partners in Bordeaux, focusing on the ethical and societal implications of artificial intelligence.
KEDGE is also the first European business school to operate its own AI ecosystem, through the METIS platform developed with Amazon Web Services. METIS supports independent learning, creativity and hands-on experimentation with AI – skills that are increasingly essential for future managers.
Executive education: turning AI into action
AI is fully integrated into KEDGE Executive Education programmes, alongside dedicated certificates for key functions such as HR, finance, supply chain, sales and project management.
The Cultura Group was the first organisation to complete the artificial intelligence and human resources certificate, which led to concrete outcomes including e-learning tools, conversational HR assistants and improved handling of sensitive data.
Further certificates will be launched by 2026, strengthening KEDGE’s position as a leading provider of AI-enabled management education – grounded in academic rigour, practical impact and a human-centred view of leadership.
Applying AI internally
KEDGE also applies these principles within its own organisation. Staff are trained in AI through the METIS platform, and internal AI assistants are developed to support efficiency, creativity and responsible use.
The long-term goal is to create an AI-augmented campus that benefits faculty, staff and learners alike.
¹ OpinionWay survey conducted in October 2025 among managers.
