A new online executive education program from Microsoft is launching on edX in early 2026, designed for business leaders who want to move beyond AI experimentation to measurable enterprise performance. CxO Edge: Run your business on AI was introduced on November 19 at Microsoft's Ignite conference.
While AI adoption has accelerated dramatically across industries, many organizations are still struggling to translate investment into impact. CxO Edge aims to help leaders close that gap. In three weeks, executives will learn how to identify where AI drives values, align strategy with measurable outcomes, and design a 90-day proof of value they can put into action immediately.
Created for C-suite leaders, founders, and senior partners across industries, the program combines:
Each module emphasizes action over theory, producing tangible, board-ready artifacts and role-specific decisions.
The program will be available to individual learners through edX.org and to enterprise teams through edX's Enterprise Catalogue, making it possible for organizations to upskill leadership at scale.
"The pace of AI adoption means every executive needs to learn—and lead—faster," said Andy Morgan, Chief Partnerships Officer at 2U, the company behind edX. "Through edX, we can take Microsoft's deep enterprise AI expertise and make it accessible to executives around the world, right when they're under pressure to translate experimentation into transformation."
Ignite attendees and the first 100 learners who register outside the conference will receive a significant early-access discount.
According to Microsoft’s 2025 Work Trend Index, 82% of leaders say this is a pivotal year to rethink strategy and operations as companies evolve into “Frontier Firms”—organizations that integrate human-AI collaboration to drive innovation.
edX survey data shows the same urgency: 58% of workers see a lack of AI expertise in their industry, and nearly two-thirds of managers plan to upskill to keep pace.
“AI is reshaping how every business operates, and executives need practical frameworks they
can apply immediately,” said Geoff Hirsch, Head of Training Partner Channel at Microsoft. “CxO Edge brings together what we’ve learned helping thousands of organizations transform with AI. By bringing the course to edX, we can scale this program online to reach C-suite leaders globally, giving them the specific tools and frameworks they need to lead AI transformation in their organizations.”
Microsoft and edX have a long history of expanding access to education together. Over a decade ago, Microsoft became the first company to offer professional certificate programs on edX—opening new pathways for learners around the world to build in-demand digital skills.
Since then, the collaboration has continued to grow. edX has driven more than 10 million enrollments in Microsoft courses, and earlier this year, edX helped Microsoft break a Guinness World Record for the largest online AI lesson during Microsoft’s AI Skills Fest .
The momentum hasn’t slowed. Over just the past six months, Microsoft has launched 56 new courses across 18 programs on edX, welcoming more than 40,000 new learners. The launch of CxO Edge marks the next step: bringing Microsoft’s enterprise AI expertise to leaders who want to drive real transformation inside their organizations.
For more information, visit https://microsoft.getsmarter.com/presentations/lp/cxo-edge-short-course/.