How hands-on AI experience is shaping future business leaders

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.

“When ChatGPT made headlines in November 2022, we didn’t see it as a threat. We saw an opportunity to lead,” said Jim Strode, associate dean of Undergraduate Programs and O’Bleness Professor of Sport Management. “Although there was concern about how AI might impact the classroom, our faculty quickly shifted the conversation to: ‘How can we teach students to use AI responsibly and effectively?’”

That proactive mindset led to rapid innovation. The College of Business became the first at Ohio University to integrate a generative AI policy into course syllabi, setting expectations for ethical usage and academic integrity. But the work didn’t 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.

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

Nowhere is this strategy more visible than in Copeland Core, the college’s 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 “Five AI Buckets.” These ensure students gain relevant skills from the outset of their college careers.

“Through the ‘Five AI Buckets’ classroom discussions, I gained a deeper knowledge of how AI reshapes various aspects of our daily lives,” a College of Business student said in a survey. “The 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.”

The Five AI Buckets include:

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

“We don’t teach anything as just abstract theory,” said Paul Benedict, director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and associate professor of instruction. “We wanted students to use it from day one—purposefully, 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.”

Beyond coursework, students participate in immersive experiences within the college’s 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.

“In collaboration with the Center for Entrepreneurship, we hosted rapid prototyping workshops where students built business prototypes in just one hour using only AI tools,” Benedict said. “They 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—quickly.”

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

“I had never used ChatGPT beforehand, so I had little idea on how to navigate the website,” said another Business student. “As 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’t have to be this negative technology that takes people’s 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.”

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.

“From freshman year to graduation, our students are using AI to solve real problems,” said Strode. “By the time they start internships, they’re not just familiar with these tools—they’re leveraging them.”

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—it’s a transformative career skill. His insight inspired the formation of dedicated faculty committees and shaped the college’s long-term AI strategy.

“Roetzer didn’t just show tools—he provided a roadmap,” Giordano said. “His input energized faculty and helped institutionalize AI across our programs.”

The college’s 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.

“For us, integrating AI means more than teaching tools,” said Strode. “It’s about developing critical thinkers, ethical leaders and entrepreneurial problem-solvers.”

In addition to the College of Business, OHIO’s 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—skills that can be applied across a wide range of real-world applications.

“As the world adjusts to the pace of AI, we’ve built a model that others are beginning to follow,” said Giordano. “Our students won’t just adapt—they’ll lead.”