Abstract
This developmental paper examines how student engagement with Generative AI (GenAI) shapes the development of systems thinking competence in responsible management education. Systems thinking is widely regarded as essential for addressing sustainability challenges, yet its development in AI-mediated learning environments remains underexplored. In particular, questions arise around how competence development can be interpreted when students rely on AI-supported processes to complete learning activities. The study is situated within a postgraduate course and draws on reflective assessments, focus groups, and teaching observations across two cohorts. An internationally diverse classroom context introduces further complexities related to differences in values, prior knowledge, and engagement with sustainability concepts. Examining how students use GenAI in systems-oriented tasks, the study seeks to provide a more grounded account of how systems thinking competence is developed and demonstrated in AI-supported settings, and how management education might better prepare students to address complex sustainability challenges.