A Masterclass on AI, Leadership and the Power of Unlearning

me73274
2 days ago
2 min read

For Chitkara University | In association with EY (Ernst & Young)

Last weekend (28^th Feb 2026), I conducted a masterclass for bright & ambitious students at Chitkara University, in association with EY (Ernst & Young). The session focused on one of the most important themes shaping the future of business and careers today — Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the need to Un-Learn

While AI is often discussed as a Tech Revolution, the deeper shift it brings is not just about tools or automation. It is fundamentally about MINDSET. The real challenge for leaders, professionals, and students alike is learning how to rethink established assumptions about business, careers, and value creation.

During the masterclass, several critical ideas were deeply dived:

Where we are in the journey of AI i.e. The progression so far and importantly What has changed in the recent past. For young minds they need to see what has happened so far to anticipate the future
What are challenges associated with AI, whether they are about the AI or the effect of AI and the response from humans. People generally talk about the progress only and not about the associated challenges. It was prudent to make them aware about the challenges
My favorite was to share with them what are the business opportunities which they can create or tap with the advent of AI and related technologies. In this section we covered the way they must start thinking to create a new business. We also talked about the gaps which can be filled in by new entrepreneurs.
The True Economics of AI-driven businesses and what it means for them and the organizations.
We discussed; how does it affect them and how should they prepare themselves. The Operational Realities behind AI adoption, beyond the hype that dominates headlines.
We also touched upon the future of their career and what kind of opportunities will come up
In my view the most important piece was to elaborate what can't be replaced by AI and hence what they should develop to be not just relevant but leading the race. This is my personal view on this, and I completely believe in that opinion about AI and its progression. How young professionals can build resilient careers in a digitized and rapidly evolving world.

My Reflection

After 30 years in the corporate world—from pharma to tech to leadership mentoring—I am more convinced than ever that the "Revolution" is less about the silicon and more about the human at the helm.

— one insight remains constant: the leaders of tomorrow will not be those who know the most, but those who can continuously learn, adapt, and unlearn.

Gratitude

My sincere thanks to the organizers, faculty, and students at Chitkara University for creating such an inspiring environment for dialogue and learning.

Moments like these reaffirm an important truth: The future of leadership lies in curiosity, adaptability, and the courage to rethink what we already know.