“Quinnipiac is an institution that is embracing this AI moment with the creativity, critique, and scholarship it deserves,” said Adam Nemeroff, assistant provost for innovations in learning, teaching and technology. “The institution is dedicated to addressing this moment and, as a result, is considered a leader in exploring the intersection of AI, education and scholarship. I find it inspiring to show up every day at a place where people are engaging with these topics broadly and meaningfully across the entire institution. It’s the kind of environment where I find it exciting to learn and work with AI personally.”

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AI has the potential to engage with any knowledge work that occurs, he said.

“Across the industries students are entering, AI is infiltrating nearly every business process and workflow in some capacity,” Nemeroff said. “What excites me is seeing how advancements in these technologies are creating new opportunities for these impacts to be realized. In many of these instances, there are always humans involved in how these processes unfold. As long as we stay committed to that, I’m eager to see where this continues to develop for students entering the workforce, bringing their own creative ideas alongside these new technologies.”

Quinnipiac is preparing students across the university for success with AI.

“Throughout the university, we’re building courses that use, discuss and explain AI,” said Brian O’Neill, associate professor of computer science and interim associate dean for academic affairs and programs. “Faculty are adopting it in different ways, each appropriate to their discipline. We launched a minor in Artificial Intelligence this past fall, with required courses in computer science and philosophy, and electives from all over campus. The electives mix courses that are technical, courses that are foundational to AI and courses that show how AI is being utilized in specific disciplines. It’s a positive because AI is a tool that employers are expecting students to know how to use.”

AI is a tool that graduates will need to be familiar with as they enter the workforce, he said.

“These will be people who are better at using it than others, whether because they’re better at crafting prompts or using the data produced, but everyone will need to be able to use it to some degree,” O’Neill said. “We see that relationship with computing tools (like spreadsheets) now — all of us have some degree of familiarity, but there are power users in every office. The difference with AI will be the ability to parse and critique the content generated.”

Graduates will need to be able to quickly verify what AI says and determine if there are errors or hallucinations in that content and know how to correct this information themselves, based on their expertise in their discipline, he added.

Americans expressed some concern in the latest Quinnipiac Poll, something that O’Neill said was appropriate.

“There are legitimate risks of harm from AI models and generative AI,” he said. “I would point out that AI itself is not the risk, so much as who is using it and for what purpose.”

That is precisely what Quinnipiac is doing to prepare students for success.

“We recently redesigned and launched our MS in Applied AI and Business Analytics, which includes a heavy emphasis on the business use of AI and its managerial implications,” said Guido Lang, professor of business analytics and information systems. “Moreover, we're currently in the process of redesigning the business core curriculum and other undergraduate business majors in light of changes brought about by AI. I believe integrating AI into the curriculum is an absolute necessity. It's crucial for academic programs in the School of Business to rapidly adapt to changing market demands. This ensures that our graduates are well prepared to take advantage of AI in business environments.”

Eventually, Lang believes, AI will fade into the background of nearly every job.

“It will be as common as touch screens are for my toddler, who now expects every display to respond to a tap,” he said. “Tomorrow's workers will expect each business process to be automated or at least assisted by AI. Routine steps will run without human input. Judgement‑heavy steps will come with AI-generated predictions and recommendations. Jobs will shift toward designing, managing, and improving AI workflows. In this environment, lifelong learning is an essential part of everyone's career.”

To prepare for this shift, faculty like Kiku Jones, professor and chair of business analytics and information systems, is including activities and assignments where students are required to use AI.

“Our CIS 101 course, for example, has been completely revamped to focus on AI. I don’t believe it is a good idea to completely remove a student’s ability to use AI in the classroom,” she said. “To ensure they are successful in their future careers, it is imperative that we provide them with the necessary understanding and skills to use AI properly. We should include AI policies to help guide our students as well. Across Quinnipiac we have many faculty who utilize and prepare students to successfully use AI. Students are engaging with AI in their major courses and their university core courses. Quinnipiac students will be well prepared to enter the workforce.”

Tamilla Triantoro, associate professor of business analytics and information systems, said the poll shows that there has been a clear shift from AI being an abstract concept to a practical toolset for many people.

“Just a few years ago, everyday use was minimal,” she said. “Now, our poll shows 41% using gen AI tools for everything from research and work projects to drafting emails and generating images. This mainstreaming of generative AI represents a significant evolution in how individuals interact with the technology.”

Nemeroff is seeing that evolution up close.

“Last year at this time, we hosted workshops on campus and connected with those who hadn’t started using the technology yet,” he said. “Now, we see a group of individuals returning to us, seeking more applied and advanced uses of this technology. I can’t count the number of conversations I have with people coming back, pointing out specific skills in promoting and interaction that we focus on with these tools, and they start experimenting with it more on their own as a result. That’s the goal. That’s how we all learn to use these tools moving forward.”

He said he is confident in the work the faculty and staff of this institution are doing to prepare students for success.

“Quinnipiac is an institution that is embracing this AI moment with the creativity, critique and scholarship it deserves,” Nemeroff said. “The university is dedicated to addressing this moment and, as a result, is considered a leader in exploring the intersection of AI, education and scholarship. I find it inspiring to show up every day at a place where people are engaging with these topics broadly and meaningfully across the entire institution. It’s the kind of environment where I find it exciting to learn and work with AI personally.”

Quinnipiac is ensuring that students continue to understand how to best interact with that technology, as Lang highlights.

“Quinnipiac continues to take bold steps towards integrating AI into teaching and learning. It has revised programs to focus on AI, such as the recently redesigned MS in Applied AI and Business Analytics and similar new executive education offerings,” he said. “It also frequently brings together faculty and external experts to share best practices for teaching and learning with AI. Quinnipiac also maintains close relationships with employers, which helps align our curricula with the changing market demand. This integrated approach will ensure that Quinnipiac remains at the forefront of equipping students for the challenges and opportunities of current and future careers.”