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AI in Higher Education

The OpenAI Forum's first event of 2025 brought together Assistant Professor Iavor Bojinov from Harvard Business School (HBS) and Siya Raj Purohit from OpenAI's Education Team for a compelling discussion on the integration of artificial intelligence into education and business learning. Hosted by Natalie Cone, the forum highlighted groundbreaking efforts to establish AI-native universities and innovative strategies for incorporating AI into teaching and learning.


Siya Raj Purohit introduced the audience to OpenAI for Education's initiatives, particularly the launch of ChatGPTEDU in 2024. This enterprise-grade platform offers secure and collaborative tools for educators, students, and institutions to deepen engagement with knowledge. ChatGPTEDU fosters network effects on campuses by enabling professors to create custom solutions for their classes and allowing students to engage with content in an interactive, conversational manner. Siya also shared OpenAI's broader vision for AI-native universities, where students experience AI touchpoints throughout their academic journey—from orientation to career services and beyond. These innovations are designed to empower students to achieve their goals with greater efficiency and creativity.


Professor Iavor Bojinov shared the journey of integrating AI into the MBA curriculum at HBS. He detailed the development of the school's first AI-native course, "Data Science and AI for Leaders," which emphasizes foundational data science, AI, machine learning, and managerial decision-making. This course reflects a significant shift in business education, incorporating tools like ChatGPT, custom tutor bots, and advanced analytics bots to support interactive and practical learning. By redesigning the course as an AI-native experience, HBS has replaced traditional coding lessons with a focus on prompting, enabling students to engage deeply with data analysis while still addressing managerial challenges related to AI integration.


During his presentation, Professor Bojinov highlighted key lessons learned from his pioneering efforts. Training, he emphasized, is essential for students and faculty to adopt AI tools effectively. He also noted the importance of aligning AI applications with the curriculum to prevent confusion and ensure meaningful learning outcomes. Exposing students to a variety of AI platforms prepares them for real-world scenarios where multiple tools are used in tandem, and understanding the strengths and limitations of these tools is vital for success.


One of the standout features of the event was Professor Bojinov's hands-on teaching exercise, the "AI-First Snack Company." This activity enables students to explore AI's capabilities in market research, product development, and marketing strategies, providing an interactive way to learn prompting techniques and understand the creative potential of generative AI. The exercise also underscores AI's limitations, offering a balanced perspective on its applications in problem-solving and innovation.


The session concluded with announcements of upcoming events, including a panel discussion with OpenAI’s new VP of Education, Leah Belsky, and other academic leaders, as well as a session featuring the integration of AI in research led by Dr. Rojansky from Stanford University. The OpenAI Forum continues to prioritize meaningful collaboration and invites members to engage actively through its global chapters and referral network.


This event set the tone for 2025, providing valuable insights into the transformative potential of AI in education and fostering collaboration among academics and professionals. The discussions and initiatives presented underscored the pivotal role AI is poised to play in shaping the future of learning and professional development.

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Virtual Event: Teaching Data Science with AI at Harvard Business School

Stanford University

Director of Clinical Pathology Informatics @ Stanford University

OpenAI

Forum Community Ambassador @ OpenAI

Kennesaw State University

Lead Academic Data Scientist @ Kennesaw State University

CUNY

Lecturer @ CUNY

Harvard Business School

Student @ Harvard Business School

Professor @ Harvard Business School

Education GTM @ OpenAI

NYU Stern School of Business

Chief AI Architect @ NYU Stern School of Business

University of Michigan

Professor Emeritus of Psychology @ University of Michigan

IE University

North America Leader @ IE University

Intersections

Founder @ Intersections

Galileo Global Education Italia

Chief Transformation Officer @ Galileo Global Education Italia

University of Bonn

Student @ University of Bonn

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