Business education and artificial intelligence have finally met at Smith School of Business of the Canadian Queen’s University.
In the autumn of 2018, a new master’s programme will commence at the school, where students will be taught how to apply the latest technological advances in a business environment.
Having apparently brushed up on their dystopian science fiction novels, Smith faculty also included ethics in their AI course to make sure the future managers understand the repercussions of using machines to make decisions that affect human employees, Poets&Quants reports.
Smith School of Business is the first academic institution in North America to introduce such a degree, as other business schools on the continent have yet to catch up with the trend. Europe, on the other hand, is not lagging behind: master’s programmes with a focus on AI are offered by Bologna Business School in Italy and Utrecht University in the Netherlands.
The Possibilities Are Endless
Most experts agree we have barely scratched the surface when it comes to all the possible applications of artificial intelligence. In this vein, when we combine AI and business, a giant window of opportunity opens before us, as the latest technologies are capable of improving virtually every aspect of research and development, manufacture, and service delivery. Knowing what an AI can do, however, is not enough, as it is also necessary to understand how it can be used to help a company grow and achieve its objectives. Moreover, managers should keep in mind that implementing AI technologies on a larger scale would inevitably result in dramatic changes in economy and society as a whole.
The master’s programme at Smith School of Business will equip students with all the necessary knowledge and skills, including ways to lead teams that operate in an AI-enhanced business environment. The programme is launched none too soon, as the lack of managers who specialise in artificial intelligence and machine learning is felt more acutely with each passing year. The number of vacancies is growing, but there is barely anyone to fill them.
AI Management Is the New Big Data Analytics
Classes will start in September and continue for a year. Students will be studying part-time, focusing on various business and technology-related disciplines for the better part of the year, and then moving on to their course project. The course will culminate in a purely practical task, where students will have to put everything they have learned to a good use solving actual business problems.
The application process has already started, although getting enrolled will not be easy. Smith School of Business requires a GMAT score of at least 650 and an undergraduate degree in STEM, computing or business. The school is looking to admit several dozen students, but the exact number has not been determined – it depends on how many applicants will meet the requirements.
Just a few years ago, big data analytics was the buzzword of the day with everyone scrambling after the new, highly lucrative job opportunities that were opening up. Now, the time has come for artificial intelligence to shake up the labour market once again. Smith School of Business has gotten here first so it can help its students to get ahead of the game.
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