Modeling minds: How business model thinking and GenAI transform strategic learning

As generative AI (GenAI) reshapes the future of business education, a critical question emerges: How can we move beyond surface-level automation and truly elevate strategic thinking? This article introduces business model thinking , a structured, microeconomically grounded approach to strategic decision-making, as a powerful pedagogical complement to GenAI. Rather than treating AI as a source of ready-made answers, I show how it can serve as an interactive analytical coach when paired with foundational training in model-based reasoning. This article presents a two-phase hybrid teaching model implemented across undergraduate, graduate, and executive courses. Phase 1 equips students with core economic modeling skills like profit optimization and incentive analysis via hands-on, AI-free experimentation. Phase 2 integrates GenAI as a dynamic tool to refine, extend, and test analytical models. Survey data and qualitative feedback confirm that students not only develop stronger individual capabilities but also gain a shared analytical language for crossfunctional collaboration. I argue that business model thinking lays the foundation for a new type of AI-augmented learning organization, in which strategic reasoning is scalable, collaborative, and continuously improving. This model enables organizations to structure knowledge, reduce coordination costs, and foster a culture of analytical clarity in the age of AI.