天堂鸟先生

In a time when AI is reshaping every major industry, the College of Business has emerged as a forward-thinking leader, embedding AI not just at the surface level, but deep into its curriculum, culture and career readiness strategies, starting from day one.

鈥淲hen ChatGPT made headlines in November 2022, we didn鈥檛 see it as a threat. We saw an opportunity to lead,鈥� said Jim Strode, associate dean of Undergraduate Programs and O鈥橞leness Professor of Sport Management. 鈥淎lthough there was concern about how AI might impact the classroom, our faculty quickly shifted the conversation to: 鈥楬ow can we teach students to use AI responsibly and effectively?鈥欌��

That proactive mindset led to rapid innovation. The College of Business became the first at 天堂鸟先生 to integrate a generative AI policy into course syllabi, setting expectations for ethical usage and academic integrity. But the work didn鈥檛 stop at policy. The college launched a hands-on initiative in Fall 2024 to prepare every business student for a future where AI literacy is essential.

鈥淎t the heart of our strategy is making every student not just AI-aware, but AI-capable,鈥� said Gabe Giordano, associate dean of Graduate and Professional Programs and O'Bleness Professor of Analytics and Information Systems. 鈥淪ome institutions hesitated but we acted. We started training students right away, not just in theory, but through practical, meaningful applications.鈥�

Nowhere is this strategy more visible than in Copeland Core, the college鈥檚 first-year business experience. These entry-level courses guide students through fundamental business principles, help them choose majors, connect with student organizations and prepares them for competitive career opportunities.

Beginning last academic year, the college embedded an AI training module into these foundational business courses, built around five key applications known as the 鈥淔ive AI Buckets.鈥� These ensure students gain relevant skills from the outset of their college careers.

鈥淭hrough the 鈥楩ive AI Buckets鈥� classroom discussions, I gained a deeper knowledge of how AI reshapes various aspects of our daily lives,鈥� a College of Business student said in a survey. 鈥淭he lessons highlighted AI's incredible capabilities, especially in areas like problem-solving, information retrieval, ideation, summarization, and its potential for social good. These classroom discussions also made me aware of the ethical challenges that arise from the general use of AI, such as biases in algorithms and data privacy concerns.鈥�

The Five AI Buckets include:

1. Information Retrieval 鈥� Using AI tools to collect and assess research, evaluate sources, and verify credibility.
2. Ideation and Creative Inquiry 鈥� Generating ideas aligned with global challenges through guided AI prompts.
3. Problem Solving 鈥� Engaging with public datasets to make data-informed decisions on real-world issues.
4. Summarization 鈥� Analyzing and condensing academic research using AI to identify key insights.
5. AI for Good 鈥� Creating personal impact plans and reflecting on how AI can support social progress.

鈥淲e don鈥檛 teach anything as just abstract theory,鈥� said Paul Benedict, director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and associate professor of instruction. 鈥淲e wanted students to use it from day one鈥攑urposefully, on real-world problems. So we created the Five Buckets. Last year, we used the UN Sustainable Development Goals as a framework, allowing students to apply AI in meaningful, global contexts.鈥�

Beyond coursework, students participate in immersive experiences within the college鈥檚 Centers of Excellence and in applied, capstone-level courses that often focus on AI-driven innovation. These opportunities help students implement AI in internships and stand out in the job market.

鈥淚n collaboration with the Center for Entrepreneurship, we hosted rapid prototyping workshops where students built business prototypes in just one hour using only AI tools,鈥� Benedict said. 鈥淭hey started with an idea, then used ChatGPT to generate a name, design a logo, build a website, and mockup backend functionality. It showed that even students without coding skills could turn ideas into reality鈥攓uickly.鈥�

Student feedback underscores the impact of this hands-on, inclusive approach.

鈥淚 had never used ChatGPT beforehand, so I had little idea on how to navigate the website,鈥� said another Business student. 鈥淎s we went over the website and how to use it, I began to understand it more and how it can be beneficial from a business standpoint. The first time we used it to create a business was when we wanted to create a business based on helping the environment. AI doesn鈥檛 have to be this negative technology that takes people鈥檚 jobs while simultaneously tempting students to cheat on homework and other such things, but a technology that helps people attain their goals and help them to create accurate studies without having them spend many hours reading documents that only have small sections of the needed information.鈥�

The integration of AI extends well beyond the first year. Upperclassmen collaborate with real companies on capstone projects and applied coursework, solving real-world challenges with the support of industry mentors. AI modules are now embedded in more than 30 learning communities across the college, ensuring nearly every business student graduates with real experience using these tools.

鈥淔rom freshman year to graduation, our students are using AI to solve real problems,鈥� said Strode. 鈥淏y the time they start internships, they鈥檙e not just familiar with these tools鈥攖hey鈥檙e leveraging them.鈥�

Much of this momentum was sparked by College of Business alumnus and nationally recognized AI thought leader Paul Roetzer. A long-time advocate for the strategic use of AI, Roetzer keynoted faculty retreats in 2018 and 2019, and returned in 2023 with a clear message: AI is not a passing trend鈥攊t鈥檚 a transformative career skill. His insight inspired the formation of dedicated faculty committees and shaped the college鈥檚 long-term AI strategy.

鈥淩oetzer didn鈥檛 just show tools鈥攈e provided a roadmap,鈥� Giordano said. 鈥淗is input energized faculty and helped institutionalize AI across our programs.鈥�

The college鈥檚 efforts have also culminated in the launch of a new graduate-level AI concentration and certificate. This program allows students to pursue AI as a dedicated specialization, providing advanced training for the next generation of business leaders ready to navigate and lead in an AI-driven world.

鈥淔or us, integrating AI means more than teaching tools,鈥� said Strode. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about developing critical thinkers, ethical leaders and entrepreneurial problem-solvers.鈥�

In addition to the College of Business, OHIO鈥檚 Russ College of Engineering is advancing AI education and research through its new AI major, which prepares students in the rapidly growing field of computer science with a focus on artificial intelligence, machine learning, and deep learning. This program emphasizes the theory and development of AI algorithms for learning, data analysis, optimization, and decision-making鈥攕kills that can be applied across a wide range of real-world applications.

鈥淎s the world adjusts to the pace of AI, we鈥檝e built a model that others are beginning to follow,鈥� said Giordano. 鈥淥ur students won鈥檛 just adapt鈥攖hey鈥檒l lead.鈥�