Industry Insights

When anchored in learner-centered design, AI becomes a powerful bridge between professional performance and continuous education.

The gap between technological change and human readiness has never been wider or more consequential. Professional development isn’t just a competitive advantage, it’s a strategic imperative for navigating uncertainty and unlocking future opportunity.

If 2025 was the year of massive investments in AI, Professor Yiorgos Allayannis believes 2026 should be the year C-suite leaders start striving for a commensurate return in terms of AI adoption, productivity gains and cost efficiencies.

Experts from the top-ranked faculty at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business and UVA Darden Executive Education & Lifelong Learning (EELL) leadership share what they think business leaders from the C-suite to functions like HR should keep top of mind as they pursue their goals in 2026.