ROUNDTABLE REVIEW
The sky’s the limit for the pervasive potential of generative artificial intelligence (AI). A recent AMBA & BGA roundtable shared current practices, plans and challenges in relation to the technology’s use in global business education, with an eye to the responsible and effective use of the data it produces. Compiled by Tim Banerjee Dhoul
A little over a year on from the initial furore surrounding the high-profile arrival of ChatGPT and the ensuing discussions over generative AI’s use in higher education, a relative calm has descended. Indeed, many once-anxious institutions have now seemingly settled into a tentative co-existence with the technology, with plans afoot for its further integration into their offerings. To explore how business schools are already working with generative AI and identify areas that warrant greater attention, AMBA & BGA convened a small group of business school leaders for an exchange of ideas and initiatives. In talking about the technology’s place in programmes and operations, particular attention was drawn to the appropriate use of any data collected and how business schools can foster a climate of innovation and collaboration as the age of AI gathers pace. How are your business schools harnessing the power of AI and data analytics in the classroom? Eno Amasi Maycock “AI is already helping us enhance the accessibility of our learning offerings. For example, live captions on videos or livestreams in blended delivery modules support students with learning disabilities and those with differing levels of English. It also helps us record sessions for learners who cannot attend live because of constraints relating to time zones.” Craig Robinson “Things have moved on fast and we now ask students to declare any use of AI on their cover sheets, what they’ve used it for and how they’ve used it. We do this to make them think about what they’re doing because we’re trying to train them how to think critically and AI is a useful tool to help them do that. I quite like where we are at the moment and I can see it’s going to evolve further.”
Theodoros Evgeniou “I’m teaching an MBA class on building generative AI products and businesses. This involves some hands-on experience, including learning the basics about prompt engineering and AI pipelines to develop products.” Jessica Chelekis “Some of our MBA module leaders send questions out to students and ask them to put it into ChatGPT. They then encourage students to discuss the results. The idea is to develop students’ reflexivity and critical thinking, rather than allow them to mindlessly reproduce what the AI gives them. “However, I think there needs to be more sophisticated training, not just in the use of AI but also in critical thinking training generally. In addition, I think that this needs to start happening before we get students in business school classrooms. It needs to start happening in secondary schools.” Abdullah Abonamah “We’re experimenting with it because large language models have become very popular with our students and it’s a very powerful tool if you know how to use it properly. “We began by offering students training on prompt engineering outside the classroom and it was very successful. Then, we brought it in into the classroom, with parameters around how students could use ChatGPT in their research projects. For example, they have to declare that they’ve used the platform, demonstrate that they didn’t just cut and paste and so on.” Tamim Elbasha “We’re experimenting with its use across three areas – course preparation, delivery and evaluation – and we’re testing out some generative AI tools, including one designed to provide faculty with an initial grading of students’ papers.”
Ambition | MARCH/APRIL 2024 | 21
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