Reconstructing Professional Identity: Management Educators in Generative AI-Augmented Learning Environment

This conceptual article critically examines the evolving professional identity of management educators in a Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI)-driven learning environment. As Gen AI technologies become increasingly embedded in business schools, the traditional roles of management educators as knowledge transmitters, case-method facilitators, and mentors in leadership development are being redefined. Drawing on Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and Dialogical Self Theory (DST), this article examines how the integration of Gen AI influences educators’ sense of autonomy, competence, and relatedness, while also illuminating how they navigate multiple, and at times conflicting, professional roles. These frameworks highlight the identity tensions and opportunities that emerge when management educators must reconcile established pedagogical values with the demands and disruptions of AI-augmented classrooms. The article makes three key contributions: a nuanced understanding of identity transformations as educators balance traditional and AI-mediated roles; identification of challenges and opportunities in sustaining autonomy, pedagogical integrity, and ethical standards; and actionable implications for professional development that support hybrid identity formation and reflective practice. Overall, the article contributes to the evolving discourse on management educators’ roles in an increasingly digitalized world, underscoring the need for faculty development programs that enhance both technological competence and ethical awareness.