Akhil Scaria on Leadership, AI in Education and Transformational Change

Digital transformation, I’ve found, is far less about technology and far more about people. One of the most valuable principles I drew from the MBA is that change must be led with empathy before it is driven by strategy.

In my role as Director of Jyothi School, my very own institution in Bangalore, this has been especially relevant. Introducing AI-led learning and digital tools in a traditionally structured educational environment naturally brings resistance-from educators, students, and even parents. Rather than enforcing change, I’ve focused on co-creating it, bringing teachers into the process, upskilling them and allowing them to see technology as an enabler rather than a threat.

Strategic Management also played a key role in shaping my approach. Digital transformation must align with long-term institutional vision. At Jyothi School, this means integrating technology not as an add-on, but as part of a broader goal of building future-ready learners with creativity, critical thinking, and adaptability at their core.

I am also an International Recruitment Alumni Ambassador for the University of Liverpool’s upcoming Bangalore campus, where I’ve had the opportunity to engage with diverse stakeholders navigating change at different levels. In this role, one things stands out, trust drives transformation. When people feel heard, supported, and prepared, resistance gradually turns into ownership.

Ultimately, digital transformation succeeds not when systems are implemented, but when mindsets evolve. The MBA equipped me with the frameworks, but it is the lived experience of applying them in dynamic, real-world contexts that has made these principles truly invaluable.

Congratulations on your recent Transformational Leadership in Education award, conferred by the National Excellence Council, Karnataka! What transformational change are you most proud of implementing?

Thank you! It’s a deeply meaningful recognition, not just personally, but for the entire learning community I represent.

The change I’m most proud of has been reimagining education at Jyothi School from a system of instruction into a culture of holistic, future-ready learning. When I stepped into my role as Director, I saw an opportunity to move beyond conventional academic delivery and build an environment where creativity, confidence, and character are valued as much as academic achievement.

One of the most significant shifts has been integrating performing arts and emerging technologies, particularly AI, into everyday learning. This wasn’t simply about adding new subjects, but about changing mindsets; helping students become expressive, adaptable, and self-aware, while also equipping them with the tools to navigate a rapidly evolving world.

This award, to me, reflects that journey, from intent to implementation, and from resistance to belief. And while I’m proud of how far we’ve come, I see this not as a culmination, but as a foundation for even more meaningful change ahead.

How do you see AI-driven pedagogy evolving in the next five years, and what skills do you believe educators need to develop now to remain effective and future‑ready?

Over the next five years, AI-driven pedagogy will move from being a supplementary tool to becoming an integral layer within the learning ecosystem. We will see a shift towards highly personalised learning pathways, where AI supports differentiated instruction, real-time feedback, and adaptive assessment, allowing educators to focus more on mentoring, creativity, and human connection.

However, the real evolution will not be technological- it will be pedagogical. Classrooms will increasingly prioritise inquiry, interdisciplinary thinking, and experiential learning, with AI acting as a co-creator rather than just a content provider. The role of the educator will evolve from knowledge transmitter to learning architect.

To remain effective and future-ready, educators must develop a blend of digital fluency and deeply human skills. This includes the ability to critically engage with AI tools, interpret data meaningfully, and design learning experiences that integrate technology with purpose. Equally important are skills such as empathy, adaptability, ethical judgment, and creative facilitation; qualities that technology cannot replicate but can significantly amplify.

Ultimately, the future of education will belong to those who can strike the right balance- leveraging the power of AI while preserving the essence of human learning. 

It is not about replacing educators, but about empowering them to lead with greater impact in an AI-augmented world.

You advocate for arts‑integrated learning—how do you believe performing arts can enhance competencies such as creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking?

Arts-integrated learning, when anchored in performing arts as a pedagogy, shifts education from passive absorption to active construction of knowledge. It is not about teaching the arts in isolation, but about using artistic processes, such as role-play, movement, storytelling, and performance, as structured methods to deliver and deepen academic learning.

From a management perspective, this approach aligns closely with experiential learning frameworks and outcome-based education. Performing arts create environments where learners engage cognitively, emotionally, and socially, leading to deeper retention and application of knowledge.

In an AI-driven world, where information is abundant and easily accessible, the differentiator lies in how knowledge is applied. Performing arts as pedagogy cultivate precisely these capabilities, human-centred skills such as interpretation, empathy, and adaptive thinking.

Keywords: Where are they now?.