This paper explores the transformative role of Jesuit Schools of Business (JSB) in shaping ethical leaders who harness artificial intelligence (AI) to advance sustainable, inclusive business models, addressing the conference themes of innovative practices and cutting-edge technologies for social and environmental challenges. Rooted in Ignatian values—cura personalis (care for the whole person), Magis (striving for excellence), and justice—JSB offer a distinctive framework for AI ethics, integrating Catholic social teaching, such as the Rome Call for AI Ethics, with interdisciplinary inquiry. The paper argues that JSB can prepare leaders to balance profitability with societal good by fostering competencies in ethical discernment, systems thinking, and cross-sector collaboration.
Through a proposed curriculum, JSB can embed AI ethics, sustainability, and data-driven decision-making, drawing on Ignatian pedagogy’s reflective and experiential methods. Case studies, including IBM’s Environmental Intelligence Suite, Fairphone’s ethical supply chain, the EU AI Act, and Microsoft’s AI for Earth, illustrate AI’s potential to drive environmental and social impact while aligning with Jesuit principles. Counterarguments, such as prioritizing profitability over ethics or viewing AI as neutral, are rebutted with evidence of long-term financial benefits and the technology’s embedded biases.
The paper envisions JSB as global leaders in responsible innovation through research centers, industry partnerships, and policy advocacy, leveraging networks like the International Association of Jesuit Business Schools. By embodying “contemplatives in action,” JSB can shape an AI ecosystem that promotes justice, human dignity, and planetary health, contributing to a sustainable, flourishing world.