Artificial intelligence is reshaping how businesses operate, make decisions and compete. At the University of Arkansas’ Sam M. Walton College of Business, that shift is built directly into how students learn, work and lead through an applied model where technology, industry and human capability intersect in real time.
Rather than treating AI as a standalone topic, the Walton College is integrating it across the student experience, from pre-business through the core curriculum and into every discipline. Students develop applied fluency with the tools shaping modern business through repeated exposure in context, reinforced over time through coursework, simulations and real-world projects. The approach reflects a broader reality that AI fluency is no longer optional in modern business environments.
That context is grounded in high-impact learning. Through simulations, client projects, applied coursework and innovation challenges, students engage real-world problems that reflect today’s business environment. These experiences build confidence and practical capability from day one. At the same time, the Walton College emphasizes that technology alone does not drive outcomes. Leadership, communication, critical thinking and ethical judgment remain central, with students using AI to inform decisions and translate data into action, while human judgment provides context, ethics and accountability.
This work is already operating at scale. Coordinated initiatives, shared tools and expanded infrastructure are connecting emerging technology directly to real business application across the Walton College. The result is an educational model aligned with how modern business operates, preparing graduates to connect data, decisions and people in meaningful ways.
- Marketing: Dr. Kevin Chase combines traditional whiteboarding with AI-driven interaction to deepen classroom discussion and critical thinking.
- Information Systems: Zach Steelman brings emerging AI developments into class almost as quickly as they emerge, helping students evaluate them against real business challenges.
- Strategy, Entrepreneurship & Venture Innovation: Dr. Jon Johnson integrates multiple AI platforms into master’s-level projects and has led a Ph.D. seminar focused on navigating academic scholarship with AI.
- Management & Supply Chain: Dr. Adam Stoverink incorporates AI platforms into MBA leadership projects in a course co-taught with Matt Waller.
- Information Systems: Dr. Jacob Yates uses ChatGPT for B2B role-playing exercises and NotebookLM for interactive learning and study tools.
- Accounting: Dr. Varun Grover has developed a platform where students use AI to solve accounting problems through integrated data, prompts, videos, and solutions.