UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — When today’s business students enter the workforce, they will be competing not only with their peers, but also with algorithms that can analyze data, generate content, and automate decision-making at unprecedented speeds. Leaders at Penn State Smeal College of Business addressed these realities at the second annual Dan Ives and Robin Ives AI Innovation Day held in the Business Building earlier this month.
Students, faculty, and industry experts gathered in Dr. Keiko Miwa’s Los Atrium to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping business and what that change means for undergraduate education.
“What we’re all trying to thread here is how do we make sure our students understand how to use AI ethically, responsibly, effectively and creatively, while at the same time maintaining what makes them human: judgment, critical thinking, and creativity,” said Corey Phelps, John and Karen Arnold Dean.
The event, hosted by Smeal’s eLearning and Innovation Design Group, reflected the broader transformation underway within Smeal. AI is no longer a niche topic, but a core competency across business disciplines.
The interactive session encouraged students to engage with AI regardless of their major and highlighted a shift in how future business leaders are being prepared.
The day featured keynote speaker sessions, fireside chats, case competitions, student-only programming, networking opportunities, and an AI showcase highlighting research and student projects from across the university.
Speakers included Daniel Ives, global head of technology research at Wedbush Securities; David Steinberg, Zeta Global CEO. Carolyn Mulhern, executive vice president of Palantir Manufacturing; Amit Kukreja, creator of Amit Investing YouTube channel. Mike Rollins, Distinguished Vice President Analyst at Gartner. France Hoang, Founder and CEO of BoodleBox. and Raymond Kusch, CEO and founder of American Inference.
“Deploying AI is not just a technical challenge,” Phelps said. “It’s a cultural shift.”
