AI@CBS

Leading through intelligence—both human and artificial—at Columbia Business School.

Committed to the Future of Artificial Intelligence

Through cutting-edge curricular innovation, our MBA, Executive MBA, MS, and PhD programs introduce new courses and research that seamlessly integrate AI into the student experience. From exploring the impact of AI across industries to developing hands-on experience with the latest tools, students can build confidence in using the latest tech in their chosen fields.

AI plays a critical role in the rapidly evolving modern workplace, and with a curriculum that emphasizes its societal and business implications, students can fully prepare to lead in this rapidly evolving landscape. Explore how our students, faculty, centers and programs are engaging with AI at Columbia Business School.

AI Compilation Series

Can We Build Trust In AI?

As artificial intelligence becomes more integrated into daily life, building trust in AI is more important than ever. This compilation explores the ethical, transparent, and responsible development of AI—from addressing algorithmic bias and data privacy to ensuring meaningful human oversight and regulatory accountability.

How Will AI Change the Way We Work?

AI is rapidly transforming how we work, from automating routine tasks to enhancing decision-making capabilities. This compilation explores the practical implications of workplace AI adoption, addressing concerns about job displacement while highlighting opportunities for increased productivity and new career paths.

How Will AI Innovate Businesses?

AI is transforming businesses across every industry, unlocking new strategies, use cases, and competitive advantages. This compilation explores real-world applications of AI in business and offers insights on how leaders can prepare for an AI-powered future.

Will Technology Solve Climate Change?

Explore how AI and technology are contributing to climate change solutions. Learn about innovative applications, challenges, and the future of tech-driven environmental strategies in this compilation.

Faculty Perspectives on AI

Using AI to Enhance Human Motivation

Columbia Business School Professor Stephan Meier explains how leaders can calm AI-related concerns, while also creating value.

Quick Takes

AI can boost productivity and work-life balance through efficiency, but presents an equality paradox - potentially leveling the playing field or concentrating benefits among few while reducing overall jobs.
Future leaders (today's students) will determine AI's ultimate societal impact, making their understanding of these technologies crucial.

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How to Leverage AI in the Workplace

Columbia Business School Professor Olivier Toubia shares the many upsides – and downsides – of AI in the workplace.

Quick Takes

Generative AI has dual potential - it can increase productivity and improve work-life balance while leveling the playing field, but could also increase inequality by limiting jobs to a select few and reducing overall opportunities.
The ultimate impact of AI on society and business will be determined by future leaders, making it critical for today's students to understand AI as they will shape its societal effects.

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Using Generative AI to Change Your Mindset

Ashli Carter, a lecturer at Columbia Business School, explains one of the ways she uses AI to help students build resilience.

Quick Takes

AI text-to-image generation helps people visualize their "inner critic" as a tool for negotiating with their mindset.
AI visualization processes can create mental states more conducive to achieving personal goals.

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How AI is Breaking Barriers in Business

Columbia Business School Professor Omar Besbes explains how AI is democratizing workplace productivity.

Quick Takes

AI will significantly enhance human productivity across various areas while potentially decreasing barriers to entry in multiple industries.
Chatbots and AI systems are democratizing access to resources while simultaneously putting the art of asking good questions and follow-up questions back at center stage.

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AI@CBS In The Classroom

AI Tools

AI is integrated into our courses in ways that support student’s projects and inspire rich class discussions. Tools like ChatGPT are used to assist in breaking down complex research techniques, run business simulations, visualize data in real time, and to show students to think in new ways and explore innovative solutions.

View Available AI Tools at CBS

Courses

At Columbia Business School, we introduce you to the methods and tools that organizations around the world use to leverage data and artificial intelligence. You will learn how these techniques work, and how to use them. The curriculum spans everything from basic data analysis to generative AI, and contains classes suitable for all skill levels.

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Resources

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping industries worldwide, and higher education is no exception. Much like other transformative innovations before it, AI-powered language models have introduced new opportunities and challenges, changing the way students learn and how instructors teach.

Samberg Institute

At Columbia Business School, the Arthur J. Samberg Institute for Teaching Excellence serves as a guiding force in this ongoing transformation, equipping faculty with the knowledge, tools, and strategies they need to leverage generative AI for effective teaching.

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Digital Future Initiative

The Digital Future Initiative focuses Columbia Business School’s world-class research and teaching on how technology is altering all industries and the fabric of daily life.

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Career Strategy

AI is changing the way we work, and the Career Management Center (Careers) at Columbia Business School has organized numerous AI-focused events and introduced AI-powered tools to help students and alumni adapt to these changes and achieve their long-term professional goals.

View AI@CBS Careers

Upcoming AI Events

Faculty and AI Research

AI@CBS Faculty

Dan Wang

Lambert Family Professor of Social Enterprise in the Faculty of Business: Management Division

Co-Director of the Tamer Institute for Social Enterprise and Climate Change: Tamer Institute for Social Enterprise and Climate Change

Gita Johar

Meyer Feldberg Professor of Business: Marketing Division

Daniel Guetta

Associate Professor of Professional Practice: Decision, Risk, and Operations Division

Director: Center for Pricing and Revenue Management and Business Analytics Initiative

Carri Chan

John A. Howard Professor of Business: Decision, Risk, and Operations Division

Faculty Director Healthcare and Pharmaceutical Management Program: Healthcare and Pharmaceutical Management Program

Oded Netzer

Arthur J. Samberg Professor of Business: Marketing Division

Vice Dean for Research: Dean's Office

Ashli Carter

Lecturer in the Discipline of Management in the Faculty of Business: Management Division

Omar Besbes

Vikram S. Pandit Professor of Business: Decision, Risk, and Operations Division

Latest AI Research

Brand Identity: Brand Naming Process and Brand Linguistics in an International Context

Authors: Bernd Schmitt and Shu Zhang

Date: Forthcoming

Format: Chapter

Book: Next Practices in Marketing: Brand Management

Authors: Linda Green, Sergei Savin, and Nicos Savva

Date: January 6, 2011

Format: Working Paper

The problem of determining nurse staffing levels in a hospital environment is a complex task due to variable patient census levels and uncertain service capacity caused by nurse absenteeism. In this paper, we combine an empirical investigation of the factors affecting nurse absenteeism rates with an analytical treatment of nurse staffing decisions using a novel variant of the newsvendor model. Using data from the emergency department of a large urban hospital, we find that absenteeism rates are correlated with anticipated future nurse workload levels.

Authors: Don Sexton

Date: December 1, 2010

Format: Journal Article

Journal: Effective Executive

Many companies do not know their marketing ROI because their organizations are not set up to evaluate marketing ROI.

Authors: Don Sexton, Kamal Sen, and Venu Gorti

Date: October 1, 2010

Format: Journal Article

Journal: Journal of Marketing Trends

Applies economic, marketing, and finance concepts to develop a metric, Customer Value Added, that explains how marketing activities drive the financial performance of an organization. Includes empirical results for a consumer packaged goods company where Customer Value Added predicted revenue and contribution with R-squared values greater than 0.90.

Authors: Olivier Toubia, Eric Johnson, Theodoros Evgeniou, and Philippe Delquie

Date: July 30, 2010

Format: Working Paper

We develop a methodology for the measurement of the parameters of cumulative prospect theory and time discounting models based on tools from the preference measurement literature. These parameters are typically elicited by presenting decision makers with a series of choices between hypothetical alternatives, gambles or delayed payments. We present a method for adaptively designing the sets of hypothetical choices presented to decision makers, and a method for estimating the preference function parameters which capture interdependence across decision makers as well as response error.

Authors: Frank Lichtenberg

Date: May 27, 2010

Format: Working Paper

Authors: Bernd Schmitt

Date: April 5, 2010

Format: Case Study

Authors: Raghuram Iyengar, Kamel Jedidi, and Olivier Toubia

Date: January 1, 2010

Format: Case Study

Publisher: CaseWorks

The family-owned Montclair Video attracted loyal customers by providing a wide selection of movies and personalized recommendations, helping it fend off competition from movie-rental giant Blockbuster. That changed with the increasing popularity of Netflix, as well as a rise in on-demand cable content and the introduction of a similar pricing model from Blockbuster. The family was prepared to adopt new pricing and add rental services, but only if the strategy made financial sense.

AI Faculty In the News

Marketing Today

June 28, 2023

Striking the Balance between Intuition and Information with Oded Netzer, Co-Author of “Decisions Over Decimals”

In this episode, Alan and Oded discuss “Decisions Over Decimals,” Oded’s latest co-authored book with Christopher Frank, Vice President of the Global Advertising and Brand Management team at American Express, and Paul Magnone, Head of Global Strategic Alliances at Google, who are also professors at Columbia. Having worked on the front lines and taught future executives, they identified two data myths that served as the inspiration for this book. Oded presents these myths and explores the three core pillars of quantitative intuition covered in the book, highlighting how marketers can improve decision-making by understanding these concepts. Oded advises against the inclination to rush to find a solution and instead encourages spending more time understanding the problem. According to Oded, a well-thought-out problem is already half-solved. This interview and the book emphasize the significance of asking insightful questions and properly defining the problem. This approach is evident in the emergence of Prompt Engineers for tools like ChatGPT, where precise questioning leverages quantitative intuition to achieve desired outcomes. The conversation also touches upon unstructured data and its implications for marketers in terms of analysis, decision-making, customer listening, and demonstrating that marketing is not just a cost but can also drive revenue. In this episode, you’ll learn: “Decisions Over Decimals”: Why this book and why now? What we should be thinking about in terms of good data-based decision-making How quantitative intuition is relevant to Prompt Engineers using tools like ChatGPT

Mentioned Faculty

Oded Netzer

Arthur J. Samberg Professor of Business: Marketing Division

Vice Dean for Research: Dean's Office

CBS News

May 5, 2023

How artificial intelligence could fundamentally change certain types of work

While AI continues to become an integral part of the modern workplace, it’s crucial to remain flexible in how we approach daily tasks by leveraging AI to enhance productivity.Columbia Business School’s Assistant Professor of Management, Daniel Keum, shares his insights in a CBS article on how artificial intelligence is transforming the workforce. Keum points out that AI’s ability to learn and adapt is unlike anything seen before and predicts that AI will significantly impact thinking, analytical, and creative jobs.Keum’s perspective highlights the challenges and opportunities of integrating AI into everyday work, and suggests that while physical jobs might stay secure, roles that involve complex thought are most at risk. With AI projected to automate up to 300 million jobs globally according to a Goldman Sachs report, Keum’s insights are a wake-up call for professionals to understand how to navigate this evolving landscape. Read the full article for more insight. 

Mentioned Faculty

Daniel Keum

Associate Professor of Business: Management Division

Columbia Business Magazine

May 4, 2023

Connect the Dots or Be Replaced

Oded Netzer, the Arthur J. Samberg Professor of Business, shares his thoughts on ChatGPT, how to use data most effectively, and the essential qualities that future business leaders must possess. 

Mentioned Faculty

Oded Netzer

Arthur J. Samberg Professor of Business: Marketing Division

Vice Dean for Research: Dean's Office

Business Insider

May 4, 2023

6 fun ways for ChatGPT beginners to start learning the AI-technology skills companies are looking for

By the end of January 2023, ChatGPT had 100 million active users. So how is it that in a recent survey, 45% of Gen Zers and millennials said they had “little or no knowledge” of the technology? Workers risk a lot by not learning to use AI at work, as Columbia Business School professor Oded Netzer confirms, "You will not be replaced by AI but replaced by someone who knows what to do with AI.” Netzer, Arthur J. Samberg Professor of Business and Vice Dean for Research, has previously shared expertise with Business Insider regarding AI, as well as for Entrepreneur.com and The Hustle.Netzer, like many experts in AI, knows that when used effectively, workers can enhance productivity and enable themselves to do better work using AI. ChatGPT and similar tools can develop schedules, plan trips, create unique narratives, assist in brainstorming, find resources, and break down complicated concepts. Many users are getting familiar with AI outside of work first, even using tools to help them find recipes, reply on dating apps, and play games.See how anyone can start using AI prompts in their daily lives.

Mentioned Faculty

Oded Netzer

Arthur J. Samberg Professor of Business: Marketing Division

Vice Dean for Research: Dean's Office

AI@CBS

Committed to the Future of Artificial Intelligence