Artificial intelligence is transforming how organizations operate, compete, and lead. However, many executives face a significant challenge: they need to swiftly adopt AI while ensuring their approach is strategic, ethical, and sustainable. The challenge isn’t just about speed—it’s about making informed decisions without the luxury of unlimited preparation time.
UC Berkeley Executive Education has intentionally integrated AI into the core of our programs, leveraging UC Berkeley's world-renowned expertise in machine learning, computational intelligence, and business strategy. Our approach equips leaders with practical frameworks and hands-on experience with AI tools, regardless of their industry, technical background, or current role.
Learning From the Source
Berkeley’s position at the epicenter of the AI revolution offers a distinct advantage. Our faculty not only teach about AI but also engage in research, development, and the shaping of these evolving technologies. From the economics of AI adoption to natural language processing applications in organizational communication, our instructors integrate academic rigor with real-world relevance in every program.
“Berkeley is a world leader in AI, and we want our students to be able to take advantage of that expertise as AI revolutionizes how business operations,” said Berkeley Haas Dean Jenny Chatman. “From finance and accounting to marketing and operations, high-impact leaders must understand how to manage human teams who use AI strategically, creatively, and with good judgment to maximize their impact.”
We have strategically updated our program offerings to better meet the needs of leaders navigating fast-changing environments. Here’s how we are preparing executives to lead with confidence in the AI era.
AI-Enabled Leadership Communication
Effective communication has always been central to leadership. Now, AI is fundamentally changing how leaders can prepare, refine, and deliver their message.
Our Leadership Communications program teaches executives how to leverage AI tools strategically, not as a replacement for authentic communication, but as a powerful aid for clarity, impact, and connection. Led by expert faculty, Adam Leipzig, Juliana Schroeder, and Penny Kreitzer, the program emphasizes the importance of human-centric leadership and innovation by combining personalized coaching with AI skills training.
During a three-day intensive, leaders gain hands-on experience with expert instruction and AI communication tools and learn practical frameworks for:
- Tailoring your communications to connect with any audience
- Sharpening your verbal and non-verbal communication skills
- Perfecting your personal communication style
Participants will leave the program equipped with both a technical and strategic mindset for continuous improvement in their communication, supported by AI tools they can apply immediately in their roles.
AI-Powered Product Innovation
Product managers operate at the intersection of technology, business strategy, and customer needs. The emergence of AI is transforming every aspect of how they work. Modern product leaders are leveraging AI to analyze customer feedback at scale and to integrate AI-powered features into their products, among other applications.
Berkeley Executive Education offers two product management programs, led by faculty director Sara Beckman, whose research explores innovation as a learning process and the application of systems thinking to wicked problems, that support product leaders' advancement to future-ready professionals.
The in-person Product Management program provides an opportunity to gain a comprehensive foundation in product strategy, development, and go-to-market execution with frameworks for AI-enhanced product leadership. Participants learn how to leverage AI tools throughout the product lifecycle, starting with an AI ramp-up where they use AI as their strategy co-pilot, applying intelligent tools directly to their own product challenges. After the program, they take home a reusable prompt system to boost their productivity and performance.
For leaders looking for a flexible, online learning experience, Product Management Studio offers an immersive, hands-on product training. Participants work on their real product challenges, applying AI tools and methodologies to accelerate iteration, test assumptions, and validate ideas. The hands-on nature of the program enables participants to work directly with Berkeley's proprietary AI Product Strategy Co-Pilot to support classroom instruction with experiential learning.
Both programs reflect a reality that product leaders know well: AI isn’t just changing what products can do, it’s fundamentally changing how products are built, how teams collaborate, and how success gets measured. The leaders who thrive will be those who can wield AI strategically while keeping human judgment and customer value at the center of their process.
Strategic AI Leadership for Senior Executives
C-suite leaders and senior executives require a distinct perspective when it comes to artificial intelligence (AI). While they may not be implementing AI on a daily basis, they are responsible for making crucial decisions related to organizational strategy, resource allocation, ethics, and competitive positioning.
Our AI for Executives program is specifically designed to suit the needs of senior leaders. This three-day in-person program provides the strategic perspective senior leaders need to guide their organizations through AI transformation, without requiring technical expertise or coding experience.
Led by Professor Toby Stuart, an expert in artificial intelligence and author of a forthcoming book examining the impact of AI on economic markets, entrepreneurship, and corporate organizations, this program addresses the unique needs of leaders in today's fast-paced business environment. Participants will:
- Explore the significant opportunities and challenges posed by AI in their industries
- Learn how to transform your organization by incorporating AI into their business strategy to drive growth
- Leverage a new AI mindset to assess and respond to artificial intelligence's evolutions
- Evaluate and account for the multifaceted issues associated with AI that might affect their organization
The program combines technical fundamentals with strategic application, giving participants hands-on experience with AI tools while maintaining focus on business outcomes. Through case studies, peer discussion, and direct engagement with Berkeley’s AI ecosystem, executives develop both the knowledge and confidence to lead the AI transformation within their organizations.
This isn’t about understanding every algorithm—it’s about building the strategic judgement to allocate resources wisely, identify transformative opportunities, and lead with clarity when the stakes are the highest.
Deep Technical Expertise
For technical professionals and STEM leaders who need to understand how AI works at a fundamental level, we offer a different path.
The Professional Certificate in Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence provides comprehensive technical training in the methods, tools, and applications that drive AI. This program is tailored for IT and engineering professionals, data and business analytics, and STEM professionals looking to transition into AI-focused roles.
The program is led by a distinguished faculty team including Associate Teaching Professor Joshua Hug, Professor Reed Walker, Professor Jonathan Kolstad, and Researcher and Lecturer Gabriel Gomes. It delivers both theoretical foundations and hands-on experience.
Participants build competency across the full spectrum of machine learning and AI, covering topics such as:
- Data analytics and statistical methods
- Deep neural networks and advanced algorithms
- Natural language processing (NLP)
- Generative AI and emerging technologies
- Business applications and strategic implementation
For technical leaders who need to go beyond managing AI initiatives to actually architecting them, this certificate provides the depth and rigor Berkeley is known for, along with a practical focus on business impact.
People Strategy in the Age of AI
The role of chief human resources officer (CHRO) faces significant challenges related to artificial intelligence (AI). Today, CHROs must tackle revolutionary issues, such as preparing the workforce for AI, implementing large-scale upskilling, and ensuring that AI enhances the employee experience rather than diminishes it.
To address these challenges directly, The Berkeley Transformative CHRO Leadership Program co-led by Laszlo Bock prepares senior HR leaders to navigate the profound organizational changes that AI and other modern challenges bring to the workforce.
Over three months, participants engage in both in-person and virtual sessions, during which they explore:
- Anticipating the impact of technology on workforce dynamics
- Identifying ways to use AI, automation, and analytics tools to streamline processes and improve efficiency
- Leading organizational change as technology reshapes teams and working methods
- Measuring the impact of initiatives beyond traditional metrics
For CHROs, AI isn't a technology challenge. It's a people challenge that requires strategic vision, cultural sensitivity, and the courage to reimagine how organizations develop and deploy their most valuable asset: their workforce.
The program’s focus on practical application ensures that participants leave with actionable strategies they can implement immediately, backed by Berkeley’s expertise on organizational behavior, workplace dynamics, and the future of work.
Customized AI Programs
While our open enrollment programs cater to individual leaders, many organizations encounter AI-related challenges that require a tailored approach aligned with their strategic priorities.
For companies, universities, and government entities with unique needs, Berkeley Executive Education offers custom programs. "We're distinct in the marketplace for this customization," says Ellen Trader, Vice President of Growth.
Custom programs can involve organizations selecting from existing AI-focused courses and tailoring the delivery to their teams. Alternatively, as Haas faculty Homa Bahrami describes, “super custom” programs involve collaborating with UC Berkeley to design entirely bespoke offerings. This process begins with in-depth conversations with stakeholders to uncover their core challenges and strategic priorities. "These stakeholder interviews allow us to configure something entirely unique to address their needs," she explains.
Custom initiatives span fields and industries. Berkeley Executive Education's collaborations highlight the breadth of AI applications we address. We have partnered with government organizations to help civic leaders navigate AI governance and implementation, assisted universities worldwide in enhancing their executive education offerings, and worked with global corporations seeking AI expertise to manage transformation at scale. Our long-standing partnerships thrive because of our ability to adapt to each organization's evolving challenges.
No matter the goal, Berkeley Executive Education combines world-class faculty expertise with a deep understanding of each organization. The outcome is not just training; it is a transformation tailored specifically to how AI is reshaping your industry, organization, and leadership imperatives.
Faculty Expertise That Spans the AI Landscape
Our programs showcase the innovation and expertise of the faculty at the Haas School of Business. The faculty have been leaders in incorporating machine learning, natural language processing, and large language models into their research. Their areas of expertise include:
- Professor Zsolt Katona researches AI applications in market research and consumer behavior
- Profession Jonathan Kolstad, faculty director of the UC Berkeley Center for Healthcare Marketplace Innovation, helps shape AI deployment in healthcare
- Professor Toby Stuart examines how AI is reshaping corporate strategy, organizational structures, and the future of work across industries
- Associate Professor Abhishek Nagaraj studies how AI and big data tools shape firm performance and social outcomes and where their limitations lie
- Professor Sameer Srivastava and Berkeley Haas Dean Jenny Chatman apply natural language processing to analyze organizational communication patterns in digital data, including email
Backed by expert faculty, our programs aren’t a theoretical exploration. They are built on practical expertise grounded in research, tested in the field, and directly applicable to complex challenges leaders face today.
Built for Leaders Who Move at the Speed of Change
Executives are navigating uncertainty, driving transformation, and making critical decisions in real time. They don’t have the luxury of months to become experts in AI, yet they cannot afford to lead without a strong understanding of it.
Berkeley Executive Education programs are designed to support leaders at all levels. Whether you are a senior executive developing organizational strategy, a CHRO preparing your workforce for the future, or a product manager creating transformative experiences, we provide the frameworks, tools, and expertise needed to lead with confidence and clarity.
In a world where AI is reshaping every industry and function, standing still isn’t an option. The question isn’t whether you will engage with AI, it’s how to do so thoughtfully, strategically, ethically, and in a way that creates a meaningful impact.
