How The Daniels School’s Specialty Masters Programs Prepare Business Leaders For An AI-Driven Future

The Mitch Daniels School of Business at Purdue University has long understood that business education must evolve alongside industry demands. That’s why the school responded decisively to a growing need for specialization at the graduate level, creating a portfolio of specialty master’s programs to equip students with cutting-edge expertise. Today, that spirit of adaptability continues as the school integrates artificial intelligence (AI) into its curriculum across all of 10 specialty master’s programs, ensuring graduates are prepared to lead in a rapidly transforming business landscape.

When generative AI like ChatGPT became available to the mainstream nearly two years ago it sparked debate with extreme polarities. Many thought AI would either unleash a dystopian nightmare where machines replace humans or bring on a technological utopia where it solves the world’s challenges.

In the past 24 months, it’s done neither. In March 2024, about 23% of adults had used ChatGPT, reported the Pew Research Center (up from 10% in November 2023), and while an increasing number of company senior executives report using AI, high-value use cases are just now being reported.

These tools, built on large language models (LLMs), have been heralded as transformative, with analysts projecting a multi-trillion-dollar economic impact. Yet as companies race to adopt AI, skepticism and challenges persist. Corporate missteps, AI hallucinations, and general unease about the technology have left many hesitant to embrace its potential. Despite this, one thing is clear: AI is reshaping how we think, work, and create.

At Purdue University’s Daniels School of Business, students and faculty are navigating this shifting landscape by embedding generative AI into the curriculum as a critical tool for future leaders. In doing so, they aim to prepare students to harness the technology’s full potential while addressing its limitations, ensuring graduates are equipped for a world increasingly shaped by AI.

Recognizing this, the Daniels School is equipping its students — the future leaders of business — with the tools and knowledge to navigate this AI-driven era effectively.

AI in the Curriculum: A Necessary Adaptation

Mohammad Rahman, Daniels School chair in management and professor of management information systems, emphasizes that AI will play a critical role in workplaces. According to Rahman, AI is not just an optional tool but an integral component of how students will be expected to operate and deliver at their dream companies.

“Students will use AI for coding and a wide range of tasks in the workplace. Encouraging them to use AI in class now, whether it’s to assist with homework, better process information, or organize data, isn’t about enabling cheating, as some worry; it’s about preparing for the future,” Rahman explains.

Faculty Perspectives: AI as a Time-Saving Tool

Faculty members in all specializations at the Daniels School have embraced AI by adapting their instruction and expectations to align with the changing landscape. For many professors, the focus is not on whether AI should be used but on how it can be used effectively.

Dr. Jeffrey Hu, Accenture Professor of Information Technology, highlights AI’s potential to revolutionize efficiency in various fields, including marketing, banking and sales prediction. However, its impact isn’t limited to the business world. AI also brings unparalleled efficiency to the learning process.

“If students hand-write code, they may forget syntax or make tiny errors that cause the entire program to malfunction. Debugging can take hours. With AI, students become 10 times more efficient in writing code,” Hu explains.

Balancing Efficiency and Critical Thinking

While AI’s efficiency is undeniable, it is not without its limitations. Rahman notes that AI can handle time-consuming tasks, allowing students to focus on intellectually stimulating work. However, this doesn’t mean students should blindly rely on AI. Instead, they must learn to engage critically with the outputs AI generates.

“Technology is not perfect yet. Sometimes you may need to modify your AI prompts five, seven, even 10 times. ChatGPT makes errors, and students have the opportunity to identify and correct these errors,” says Hu.

AI’s role in education, therefore, extends beyond providing answers; it also serves as a tool for developing problem-solving skills. For instance, students need to know coding languages and their principles to ensure AI generated lines do not contain hallucinations and errors. By identifying and addressing errors in AI-generated work, students build critical thinking and analytical skills — essential traits for modern professionals.

AI as a Tool, Not a Substitute

One key message echoed by Daniels School faculty is that AI is a tool, not a substitute for human ingenuity and creativity. Hu explains that while AI can provide code, research or data, the application of this information ultimately depends on the user.

“AI is like a search engine — it breaks down prompts and provides results, but in fragments. Students must transform these pieces into cohesive deliverables. That’s the essence of what the Daniels School teaches,” Hu says.

This perspective is shared by Brian Chupp, academic director of the MS Human Resource Management program, who encourages business leaders to incorporate their human resource personnel into AI integrations.

To help future business leaders understand the new technology, Chupp encourages students to use AI tools like ChatGPT but with boundaries. For instance, Chupp allows students to use AI for creating slides or generating parts of written assignments but insists that only a small percentage of the final product comes from AI.

“When AI is cited as a source rather than being the sole contributor, students are prompted to critique its outputs, just as they would critique information from any other source,” Chupp explains. This approach helps students engage in critical skill-building — a process they will rely on heavily in their future careers.

Limitations of AI

Despite its capabilities, Fabricio d’Almeida, academic director of the MS Finance program, warns students of its current limitations. He notes that while AI is excellent for improving the tone and structure of writing, it is not reliable as a primary source of data or analysis.

“AI reads and follows systems, treating the information it is provided as an instruction module. But its capacity to analyze and evaluate at a human level is lacking. Users often need to polish and perfect what AI produces to align it with their intentions,” d’Almeida says.

Troy Janes, academic director of the MS Accounting program, also emphasizes the importance of human skills. Janes encourages a balanced approach, blending traditional learning methods with AI-powered tools. For example, students in his classes might use AI for certain tasks but are also required to give presentations, create original examples, and take pen-and-paper tests.

“AI does not extrapolate well from one experience to another. It struggles in scenarios where instructions are limited. As humans, our ability to connect experiences and draw conclusions is innate,” Janes explains.

Adaptation as the Future: From Specialization to AI Integration

Whether it’s offering a robust portfolio of online and residential master’s, or integrating the latest technologies, the Daniels School is preparing students to innovate to meet industry needs. With its 10 specialty master’s degrees, including global supply chain management, business analytics and information management, marketing, finance, economics, accounting, and human resource management, the Daniels School is building tomorrow’ leaders with deep knowledge and extensive skills in their industry to address emerging challenges in digitalization, automation, analytics and AI.

Graduates leave the Daniels School not just equipped to meet today’s challenges but positioned to anticipate and shape the opportunities of tomorrow. As industries continue to evolve, the Daniels School’s focus on specialization and innovation ensures that its alumni remain at the forefront of business leadership.

Preparing Students for Tomorrow’s Workforce

By integrating AI into its curriculum, the Daniels School reaffirms its commitment to adaptive, industry-relevant education. “AI tools make students more efficient, but it’s up to humans to use them sensibly,” Rahman says. “That kind of skill matters from day one.”

In February 2023, Purdue University announced the launch of the Mitch Daniels School of Business. Charting a new course for business education, the Daniels School will be marked by elite graduates who embody the values of wisdom and creativity, grounded in a firm grasp of today’s technologies and their likely evolution; who are aware of the history of progress that freedom of enterprise has created and continues to advance; and who are trained to lead and inspire others with strength and decisiveness. Long named the School of Management with the graduate school bearing the Krannert name, the new name not only celebrates Daniels’ acclaimed tenure as Purdue president, but also his highly lauded business acumen in the private sector. Learn more about the transformation of Purdue’s business school at https://business.purdue.edu/about/home.php.

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