AI Talent Cultivation and TRAM Impact in Business Education and Academia-Industry Collaboration

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) has created an unprecedented demand for skilled professionals, fundamentally transforming business education and industry collaboration paradigms. This chapter examines the critical intersection of AI talent development and the TRAM (Technology Readiness and Adoption Model; Lin et al., 2007 ) framework. Through comprehensive analysis, we explore how business schools are adapting their curricula and teaching methodologies to cultivate AI talent while addressing the complex dynamics of institutionalism, curriculum development, and their connections to industry. The research investigates innovative cross-disciplinary approaches to with-in and with-out collaboration at Feng Chia University campus. Special attention is given to the challenges and opportunities in implementing AI education programmes, divided by three phases: ontology, epistemology, and pedagogy. The empirical findings highlight the importance of aligning business educational strategies with industry needs while maintaining academic rigor and ethical considerations in AI tools adoption. This chapter contributes to the growing body of knowledge on AI education and provides practical insights for business education providers and industry partners seeking to enhance their collaborative efforts in AI talent cultivation.