NUS Business School Uses AI Simulations to Strengthen Leadership Decision-Making

The National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School is integrating generative artificial intelligence (AI) into management education to help future business leaders develop stronger questioning, analytical and decision-making skills.

The initiative uses AI-powered simulations to recreate business situations in which students must gather information, assess different perspectives and recommend a course of action without having all the answers upfront.

The pilot, launched in January 2026, uses ScholAIstic, a generative AI platform developed by the NUS AI Centre for Educational Technologies (AICET). The platform enables students to interact with AI-generated characters in structured, scenario-based learning exercises.

According to information released by the school, nearly 100 MBA and Executive MBA students across Singapore and Jakarta have used the simulation, including participants who hold senior executive positions.

AI Simulations Recreate Real-World Business Challenges

The programme changes the way students approach traditional business case studies. Instead of relying solely on information provided in a case, participants must actively identify knowledge gaps and ask relevant questions to understand the situation.

Students interact with AI-simulated senior executives, including a chief executive officer, chief financial officer and chief product and technology officer. Each character offers a distinct perspective on the same business challenge.

Participants must decide which questions to ask, seek clarification where necessary, evaluate the responses and combine the information they gather before reaching a conclusion.

The exercise is designed to reflect the complexities of corporate decision-making, where leaders often face incomplete information, competing priorities and differing stakeholder opinions.

Personalised Feedback Helps Students Improve Their Questions

An important feature of the AI-based learning exercise is the feedback students receive after their interviews.

The system provides personalised feedback on their questioning approach, enabling them to review their performance and refine their techniques in subsequent interactions.

The emphasis is on asking focused questions, following up on important details and adapting the approach as new information emerges.

Early analysis of interview transcripts, as reported by the school, suggests that more effective interviews tend to involve targeted questions and relevant follow-ups rather than a predetermined list of queries.

This approach aims to help students develop the ability to distinguish useful information from less relevant responses and make better-informed decisions.

Why Leadership Education Is Exploring Generative AI

As businesses incorporate AI into their operations, managers increasingly need to evaluate machine-generated information, challenge assumptions and exercise independent judgement.

NUS Business School's approach explores how AI can support these capabilities through interactive learning rather than serving only as a tool for generating answers or retrieving information.

The simulations allow students to practise conversations and decisions in a controlled environment before encountering comparable challenges in professional settings.

The school is also exploring the potential to extend AI-driven simulations to other areas of business education, including stakeholder engagement, negotiation and situations involving competing interests.

NUS Focuses on Human Judgement Alongside AI

The initiative forms part of the university's wider effort to integrate AI into teaching and learning while keeping educational objectives at the centre of technology adoption.

The goal is to help students strengthen critical thinking, adaptability and professional judgement instead of relying entirely on automated responses.

By creating dynamic scenarios in which learners must ask questions, test assumptions and respond to changing information, the approach offers an alternative to conventional case studies that provide a fixed set of facts.

As AI becomes more widely used in workplaces, these skills could become increasingly important for leaders responsible for evaluating information, managing uncertainty and making strategic decisions.

NUS Business School's pilot illustrates one way business education can use generative AI to create opportunities for practical learning while retaining human reasoning and judgement as central elements of leadership development.