Warwick Business School

Today, we celebrated the !

So proud of our 2026 graduates 💙

🇫🇷 From Coventry to Paris. One Week That Changed How I Think About AI, Business, and Myself.

As part of her MSc Management at Vidushi travelled to HEC Paris for the International Module on Data Science and AI in Business. What began as a week long programme bridging the gap between academic theory and the real-world pace of AI adoption across industries became much more – it challenged and changed Vidushi’s thinking about technology, culture, entrepreneurship, and her own professional direction.

The week was packed with new, exciting experiences with highlights including:
✨ Playing a deepfake video so convincing it made the room go quiet
🎶 Being introduced toThe Velvet Sundown, an AI-generated band that accumulated over a million Spotify plays before anyone knew no human had made the music
🚀 Visiting Station F, one of the world's largest startup campuses, and debunking myths about what it takes to build a company

Beyond academic sessions and workshops the group explored Paris, enjoying a chocolaterie tasting that turned into a lesson on paying attention, an unforgettable evening watching Lion King musical, and a Seine river cruise at night with the Eiffel Tower lit in full glory.

Vidushi's top three takeaways:
1️⃣ AI has already crossed a threshold most of us have not fully reckoned with
The most important questions now are not technical but ethical and cultural.

2️⃣ The best founders build from a genuine understanding of the problem, not a market gap
That distinction will shape how I approach every idea from here.

3️⃣ Cultural intelligence is not something you acquire once – it’s a set of calibrations you keep updating
Moving from India to the UK, and now spending a week in Paris, I have learned that the map you bring into a new place is always incomplete. The willingness to update it is the skill.

A "truly transformative" trip to Cape Town, South Africa left Master's student Mayank with three powerful takeaways:

🤝 The remarkable warmth, friendliness, and resilience of South African people
📖 A profound appreciation for the country’s turbulent history and the long struggle against apartheid
💡 Deep inspiration from the personal stories of local entrepreneurs building impactful businesses in healthcare, sustainability, and education despite significant challenges

From a historical and political walking tour of Cape Town, to meeting social entrapreneurs in Philippi Village, and exploring the production of South African wine through tours and tasting, the international module gave students a deeper understanding of the country’s complex history, vibrant culture, and entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Mayank's personal highlights?

🥾 Walking the breath-taking Lion’s Head hike
🏉 Experiencing the electric atmosphere of a rugby match
🌍 Meeting the indigenous Khoisan people