6 Using Generative AI to Enhance Business Success

Directions

For Instructors

• Divide the class into teams. We find that assigning between 5-7 students per team works well for this project.
• We present 4 industries and hold a lottery to allow each team to choose their industry for this project. We then present each team with 3-4 companies within that industry that they can choose to represent. We chose the following industries and companies:
• Heath Care (Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Abbott, Pfizer, or a major hospital chain)
• Finance (JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs, or a major regional bank)
• Retail (Macy’s, Amazon, Walmart)
• Higher Education and Credentials (Coursera, a major online university, or their own university)
• We introduce the project and allocate class time for teams to develop a team charter to assign roles and responsibilities, create a tentative project time, and discuss accountability. We emphasize and review the importance of team communication as a key component of this project. After each deliverable described below, we ask one representative from each team to report back on the progress their team has made, or to provide a written summary in Canvas (our course LMS).
• We introduce the concept of generative AI and prompt engineering. We allow students time to explore the platform together as a team. We require our students to use ChatGPT for this assignment, and we require students to create a free account.
• We review the importance of research as part of their credibility with their audience of board members for their final presentation. As an advanced, 4000-level class, we expect research will be integrated to support their claims. Students are encouraged to research the possibilities and limitations of generative AI, the ways in which generative AI is currently used by businesses, the challenges and opportunities that their company (or the industry) is currently facing, and the ways in which generative AI might be integrated to address those opportunities or challenges.
• Each team prepared a 15-20 minute presentation to their Board of Directors along with an 8-10 page proposal for how generative AI might be able to help the company to meet some of the challenges and opportunities it is facing. We recruit industry professionals and former students to serve as “Board Members” for the presentations. We allow each team about 15 minutes for their presentations and five minutes for questions from the board.
• At the end of all the presentations, we invite all the teams into the classroom to sit together with the Board members to debrief and receive feedback on their presentations.

For Students

Scenario: Imagine that you and your team work as mid-level managers for a company. You have been given an opportunity by your CEO to prepare a report and presentation for the Board of Directors with specific recommendations for how ChatGPT can be implemented to improve your company and address specific challenges your company is facing. This is a great opportunity for you and your team to make a positive impression on the board and further your career.

1. You and your team members will first choose one of the industries listed below to investigate and work on for your final project.

• Healthcare
• Finance
• Retail
• Degrees and Credentials

2.  Once you have chosen your industry, your team will choose one company from the list below, within your industry, to present for this project.

3.  Your team will research and learn as much as you can about the company and the challenges it is currently facing. You are expected to study company financials, annual reports, news reports, and database research.  You may use ChatGPT as part of your research as well.

Research Recommendations:

• Using Chat GPT and your additional research, you will investigate your company, learn about challenges the company is facing, and opportunities to integrate ChatGPT into the company’s operations.
• Search the Wall Street Journal for news stories about the company. You can use the WSJ app in MyApps. All UTA COB students have free access to the WSJ.
• Using the Business Search Complete database on the UTA library website, find the most recent SWOT Analysis and Industry Analysis for your company.

4.  Based on your research, you and your team will identify challenges or opportunities in three different specific areas of the company.

5.  You and your team will prepare a written proposal (8-10 pgs.) and verbal presentation (15-20 mins) to the Board of Directors of your company to make recommendations on how your company can integrate ChatGPT to address challenges or opportunities that your company is facing.

All team members must create a free ChatGPT account for this project. (Free accounts are available at www.openAI.com)

Assessment

For this project, students can earn up to 300 points of the 1000 total points available for the entire course.

• Verbal Team Presentation (100 points). Teams are evaluated on their verbal clarity, conciseness, presentation structure, persuasiveness, and non-verbal communication.
• Written Team Report (100 points). Teams are evaluated on their format and presentation (20%), use of supporting evidence for their claims (20%), organization and structure (20%), language and mechanics, including clarity and conciseness (20%) and audience-centered approach (20%).
• Peer-based evaluations of teammates (100 points). Each student is evaluated confidentially by their team members according to their effort, attitude, contribution and communication.