Who's More Innovative: ChatGPT Or MBA Students?

From Vienna, Austria: These days, no task seems too big for Artificial Intelligence (AI): In a matter of seconds, it drafts complex texts, analyzes financial data, and provides automated responses to customer queries — and more often than not, the output is surprisingly good. This seems to put many white-collar jobs at risk, and quite a few people are worried that machines might edge them out of their jobs.

But is AI capable of innovation as well? And does it possess entrepreneurial acumen, for instance when told to come up with an innovation strategy?

Nikolaus Franke, academic director of MBA Entrepreneurship & Innovation at the WU Executive Academy at the Vienna University of Economics and Business, and his MBA students recently put AI to the test to find answers to these very questions.

Twenty-one MBA students of the Entrepreneurship & Innovation specialization were given a task that required entrepreneurial creativity to complete. They had to react to the dilemma of having an outstanding idea for innovation which, being a small company, they would be unable to protect. The scenario was based on the historical example of businessman Robert Taylor, who, by accident, had stumbled upon a promising innovation. Throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks: this strategy employed by Taylor is about testing numerous ideas to find out which one works best, just the way only a small amount of the pasta thrown will remain stuck to the wall.

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From Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard Business School professor Raffaella Sadun resigned from the presidential task force on antisemitism, according to a source familiar with the situation.

Interim Harvard President Alan M. Garber ’76 appointed Sadun in January to lead the task force as a co-chair last month. Her decision to resign was confirmed in statements from Sadun and Garber on Sunday.

“I am grateful to have had the opportunity to help advance the vital work to combat antisemitism and believe that President Garber has assembled an excellent task force,” Sadun wrote. “I will continue to support efforts to tackle antisemitism at Harvard in any way I can from my faculty position.”

“Professor Sadun has expressed her desire to refocus her efforts on her research, teaching and administrative responsibilities at HBS,” Garber wrote. “Her insights and passion for this work have helped shape the mandate for the task force and how it can best productively advance the important work ahead.”

Sadun’s decision to resign is just the latest setback for Garber’s antisemitism task force, which has been dogged by controversy since its inception. After Garber announced Sadun would co-lead the group with Jewish history professor Derek J. Penslar, Penslar’s appointment drew criticism over allegations that he had minimized campus antisemitism.

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From Porto, Portugal: Porto Business School is thrilled to announce a new strategic partnership with Rome Business School, one of the leading business schools in Italy that offers Master’s and MBA programs both on campus and online. This partnership aims to enhance international student exchanges and encourage collaborative academic ventures.

In addition, Porto Business School and Rome Business School will closely collaborate in the development of dual degrees and executive education programmes.

The purpose is to empower the students towards initiatives designed to cultivate a global, diverse mindset, and propel students’ career growth, says José Esteves, dean of Porto Business School. “Our alliance paves the way for a realm of shared innovation, enriching learning experiences, and a dynamic knowledge exchange,” Esteves says, “all pivotal in nurturing the sustainable and inclusive leaders and managers of tomorrow.”