DCU Emerging Leaders Seminar: Insights into Artificial Intelligence and its Potential
Dr Laura Polk, Executive Director of Digital Initiatives & Learner Experience for the Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University (ASU).
This keynote virtual discussion was the final event in this series and the focus of the group’s conversation was the area of organisational leadership and how the use of AI can enhance and refine leadership. DCU’s Emerging Leaders joined the discussion alongside graduates of the ASU Thunderbird School of Global Management and alumni of the DCU/PNU programmes.
Opening the event, Alejandra Molina, ASU Thunderbird Asst Director of Alumni Engagement, expressed her hope that the partnership between DCU and ASU would continue to strengthen and her gratitude at this international networking and learning opportunity.
To kick off the case study discussion, Dr Polk invited the group to submit their perceptions of AI via mentimeter. The response was mixed. Some felt that AI represented the future, and an insightful use of data for organisations, while for others it caused anxiety and uncertainty. Right now, there are more questions than answers about the use of AI.
Following a short introduction to our case study, participants broke into small groups to consider a few key questions:
- What steps can companies take to move from being an emerging company in the use of AI to a leader?
- Which of the five areas discussed in the case study (governance, deployment, partnerships, people & data availability) do you think is the most important and why?
- What benefits can companies expect when using AI?
- How can companies implement AI into their business strategy versus using it as a technological tool?
Feedback from the groups was wide ranging and mixed, given the different levels of engagement with AI within their own organisations. On the final question, Professor Caroline McMullan (DCU Business School), offered from their group’s discussion, “We have to focus on what we want to solve. We can then use AI as a tool to get to the heart of our problem”.
Before wrapping up the case, Dr. Polk introduced the group to the Francis and Dionne Najafi 100 Million Learners Global Initiative, an initiative launched in 2022 by the ASU Thunderbird School. This initiative aims to offer online, global education from world-class accredited institutions in 40 different languages to learners across the globe, at absolutely no cost to the learner. Women and young girls will account for 70% of the 100 million learners that the program will reach worldwide. Dr. Polk currently oversees this program which is already being offered in over 20 languages and will continue to expand with the help of AI.
At the end of the session, Emerging Leader Programme Leader, Katie Keogh, thanked Dr Polk and all the participants for their engagement in the discussion and with the series. This international seminar series was created as a way to foster and build international connections through learning for the DCU Alumni Emerging Leaders. The DCU Alumni Office are delighted to continue to partner with the DCU&PNU programme leaders as well as the Alumni Office at the ASU Thunderbird School of Global Management to deliver this exciting series.
If you are interested in participating the DCU Emerging Leaders Programme, please email alumni@dcu.ie.