AI Takes Center Stage at Technology in Business Schools Roundtable | News

Hofstra University and the Frank G. Zarb School of Business hosted the Technology in Business Schools Roundtable (TBSR), a four-day conference that turned the spotlight on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its growing influence on business education.

The event, held June 10-13, brought together representatives from nearly 30 leading business schools across the country, including Harvard University, Indiana University, and Yale University, among others. Discussions covered a range of technological advancements; however, AI emerged as a central theme.

Participants delved into how AI can be integrated into the business curriculum, from its potential applications in teaching to future-proofing graduates with the skills needed for a rapidly evolving technological landscape.

“At Hofstra, we are committed to preparing our students for the future of business, and that future is deeply intertwined with AI,” said Dean Janet Lenaghan, Frank G. Zarb School of Business.

“TBSR provided a valuable platform to explore how best to integrate AI into our curriculum and equip this next generation of business leaders with the skills and knowledge needed to navigate the potential of AI,” Lenaghan added.

The keynote address was provided by Hofstra alumnus Daniel Pellegriti ’00, a Google workspace specialist with expertise in Enterprise GenAI. His insights shed light on how Generative AI can be leveraged to enhance business processes and decision-making.

“Generative AI is applicable to every industry in the world, and it is here to stay,” Pellegriti said.

He went on to discuss the importance of educating business students today on how to fully embrace the technology.

“Schools should be emphasizing and teaching students about AI so that they are aware how to use it but also of its growth and impact on their industry,” said Pellegriti.

Further fueling the AI focus, a dedicated panel discussion was held featuring IT professionals from University of Illinois, Georgia Tech, and University of Colorado Boulder.

The panelists explored the specific applications of Generative AI within their individual schools and how their institutions are preparing their campus communities for proper use of the ever-evolving technology.

Chris Tidrick, senior director of information technology and chief information officer, Geis College of Business, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, discussed how they have started to introduce digital twins.

“We have created Avatars of our faculty for presenting and tested them with students. The students could not tell the difference between the AI Avatar and their real faculty member,” Tidrick explained.

According to Tidrick, the real challenge in incorporating AI into campuses is convincing the community to view it as a benefit rather than a risk.

To this point, Shannon Thomas, director of information technology, Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business, highlighted the “Lunch and Learn” sessions at her institution that focus on educating the campus community about AI and its benefits. At Leeds School of Business at University of Colorado Boulder, they have created an AI task force to look at AI and its proper uses.

“On the task force, we are looking at AI from three buckets: research, administrative, and teaching,” said Dave Kohnke, senior IT director, Leeds School of Business.

Tidrick added in closing, “You won’t lose your job to AI, but you’ll lose your job to someone who knows how to use AI.”

While a significant amount of time was spent on discussing advancements in business technology education, attendees also had an opportunity to network over dinner and attend a boat outing, thanks to conference sponsors.

Sponsors of the event included Wharton Research Data Services (WRDS) at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Asana, Hiration, VirtualSpeech, and 22 Miles. Additional schools in attendance were Auburn University, Baylor University, Concordia University, Cornell University, Duke University, Florida State University, Georgia Southern University, Indiana University, Montclair State University, New York University, Rutgers University, Texas Christian University, The University of Alabama, University of Arkansas, University of Florida, University of Indiana, University of Minnesota, University of Missouri Columbia, University of Oklahoma, and University of Tennessee.