The MBA in 12 Weeks? How Abilitie is Changing Business Education with Bjorn Billhardt

Mar 3, 2025

Bjorn Billhardt, CEO of Abilitie and a seasoned expert in leadership development, shares insights on the future of business education. He discusses how AI is revolutionizing leadership training with real-time simulations that enhance decision-making and judgment. Bjorn emphasizes the importance of transfer skills over rote memorization and highlights the growing trend of mini MBAs. The conversation also explores AI's role in boosting social learning and improving essential management skills, redefining what it means to learn in the corporate world.

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Intro

00:00 • 2min

Revolutionizing Leadership Education

01:32 • 16min

Exploring the Future of AI in Education and Beyond

17:10 • 4min

AI-Powered Learning: Transformation in Education

21:39 • 15min

The Importance of Transfer Skills in Business Education

36:51 • 2min

Inspiration and Innovation in Business Education

39:00 • 2min

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An organizational and leadership development expert, Bjorn Billhardt has designed leadership development programs and collaborated with world-class institutions for two decades. Since 2015, Bjorn has been CEO of Abilitie, a provider of leadership development & mini-MBA programs. Abilitie’s programs have educated over 100,000 learners worldwide. Prior to founding Abilitie, Bjorn was Co-founder and CEO of Enspire Learning, Inc. Bjorn holds a BA from the University of Texas & an MBA from Harvard Business School.

💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in this Episode:

How AI is transforming leadership training through real-time simulations.
Why business education should focus on judgment, not just knowledge.
The power of AI in social learning and group collaboration.
How AI can enhance professional skills like hiring and management.
The growing impact of mini MBAs in corporate education.

✨ Episode Highlights:

[00:02:37] Why leadership is about judgment and the future of MBA programs.
[00:05:43] AI-powered simulations and decision-making in training.
[00:10:38] Adaptive AI in professional development and business training.
[00:16:48] AI’s potential to enhance social learning and collaboration.
[00:22:20] AI as an assistant for hiring, management, and leadership.
[00:33:32] The rise of mini MBAs and alternative business education.
[00:36:00] Why transfer skills matter more than memorization.
[00:38:35] Final thoughts on AI’s future in leadership development.

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