This fall, Clemson University Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business hosted a full-day Business AI Symposium event at Phyfer Auditorium. The symposium provided an opportunity for business educators to learn more about AI and the implications of preparing students for an AI-enabled business world. This symposium provided an opportunity for business professors to take a proactive approach to the growing influence of artificial intelligence (AI).
Keynote Speaker: Gary Shiffman
The day started with the keynote speaker Gary Shiffmanlecturer at John E. Walker Department of Economics and twice founder of AI Company, presented “Developing an understanding of AI to succeed in a disrupted job market.” Shiffman explained how AI will shift power to data-rich industries while jobs benefiting from the application of human judgment and statistical thinking will expand. He says graduates will need to be prepared to be “human judges” of AI results. It is therefore important to educate business students about the ethical implications of AI and teach them to use critical thinking and creativity to solve problems.
I think for us as faculty and staff, we can understand it and maybe reduce our anxiety a little bit even if we just know what it is, what we’re going to do with it. Knowing what it is is less mysterious. It becomes less scary. I believe if we can have a little discussion about how we can trust it and how we see it applied in business, we can prepare our students to graduate and enter the workforce.
Gary Shiffman, lecturer in the John E. Walker Department of Economics and two-time founder of AI Company
Collaboration between academia and industry
Following Shiffman, the industry panel was moderated by Scott Baier, chair of the economics department and professor. The panel brought together industry experts and leaders from several sectors, including Michelin, BMW, Dodge Industry and Supermoon AI. Panelists shared their experiences and thoughts on the most valuable skills students need to have as they enter the job market, the value of internships, and the importance of having both analytical and soft skills. Businesses expect business graduates to be exposed to AI tools and to have worked in teams to collaborate to solve problems creatively. Additionally, candidates must be able to tell stories using insights provided by AI. By gaining insight into what industries are looking for in job candidates, business professors can determine how to best prepare students for today’s modern business landscape. The industry panel included:
- John BarnettCo-founder, Supermoon AI (Communication AI)
- Francois ChenSr. Data Science Manager, Michelin
- Adam KawashSenior Data Scientist, Michelin
- Artur RdzanekDirector of Industrial Internet of Things, Dodge Industry
- Brent WestmorelandIT Director of Strategy, Cybersecurity and Innovation, BMW
Empowering business teachers
During the next session, Jennifer Siemensassociate dean for faculty excellence, presented the results of a faculty survey that revealed how Powers College of Business faculty are currently using AI in their teaching. With 95 faculty members respondedThe survey highlighted both the opportunities and challenges of integrating AI into business education. More than half of responding faculty have an AI policy in their program and two-thirds use AI to support teaching, with the majority using ChatGPT or other generative AI tools to help develop course content. coursework, create assignments, and demonstrate class concepts.
From there, a panel of business professors shared their experiences integrating AI into their courses.
“Build-a-Bot: Let’s Create a Custom GPT for Your Classroom” Workshop
The day ended with an educational workshop led by Mike Giebelhausenassociate professor of marketing. During the workshop, he taught other faculty members how to create custom GPTs for their classes to use. This workshop provided a tool that allows faculty members to integrate this important skill into their classroom by giving students the opportunity to gain experience with this emerging skill.
Learn more about the event, watch the keynote speaker, and view faculty resources on AI. here.
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