Telangana’s first AI-native campus champions learning, ethics, adaptability today
HYDERABAD, June 24: Artificial Intelligence may replace certain jobs, but it will never replace capable human beings, speakers said as EThames Business School (EBS) announced its transformation into Telangana’s first AI-Native Business School, integrating AI across teaching, learning, research, innovation and industry engagement.
The announcement was made at a special event attended by more than 200 students, faculty members, industry leaders and ecosystem partners. The initiative marks a major shift in management education, positioning AI as an integral part of the academic and professional development journey of students.
Addressing concerns over job losses due to rapid technological change, V.V. Laxmi Narayana, IPS (Retd.), Chief Transformation Officer of EThames Business School, said fears about technology replacing humans have accompanied every major innovation.
“When railways arrived, people feared the end of traditional travel. When computers were introduced, many predicted widespread unemployment. When ATMs emerged, people said bank branches would disappear. None of those predictions came true. Technology changes jobs; it does not eliminate human potential. AI may replace certain jobs. AI will not replace capable human beings. The future belongs to those who are lifelong learners,” he said.
The transformation reflects EThames’ response to the rapidly changing world of work, where AI literacy is becoming as essential as computer literacy was in the 1990s.
Chairman Kali Prasad Gadiraju said the institution’s AI transformation journey began more than a year ago and was driven by the need to align education with evolving workplace realities.
“This is not merely the launch of a new initiative. It is our response to one of the most significant transformations in human history. If the world has changed so dramatically, how can education remain the same?” he asked.
Drawing a parallel with calculators, he said AI should enhance human capability rather than replace it. “AI should not replace thinking—it should amplify thinking. AI should not replace learning—it should accelerate learning,” he said.
The event featured a creative skit, “AI Tools Speak, Humans Decide,” in which characters representing leading AI platforms including ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity, Copilot and Grok competed for students’ attention. The performance concluded with faculty members reminding students that while AI tools are powerful, critical thinking and human judgment remain indispensable.
Students, faculty members and institutional leaders also took pledges to use AI responsibly, ethically and professionally. Certificates were awarded to participants who completed the institution’s AI-Native transformation programme.
Joining virtually as Guest of Honour, Dr. Sandeep Kumar Shukla, Director of IIIT Hyderabad, praised the initiative and said educational institutions must prepare students not only to use AI tools but also to innovate responsibly and work effectively alongside them.
Among those present were Dr. Raghavendra Hunasgi, Venture Investor and CEO of String Metaverse, Murali Bukkapatnam, former Chairman of the Global Board of Trustees of TiE, and Bipin Chandra Pendyala, President of HYSEA, who emphasised the emergence of AI-Native talent capable of learning, collaborating and innovating with AI at the core of their academic journey.
The event concluded with a call for students to combine technology with ethics, creativity and continuous learning to remain relevant in an AI-driven world.
