Chicago Booth has launched a new MBA concentration in Applied Artificial Intelligence to prepare graduates to lead AI-driven initiatives that translate directly to business outcomes. The concentration expands Booth’s portfolio to 16 total concentrations and reflects accelerating employer demand for leaders who can connect AI capabilities—such as generative AI and machine learning—to strategy, operations, and value creation.
What’s new
- Structure and requirements: Students complete three AI-focused electives from a curated menu, including AI Essentials, Machine Learning in Finance, AI for Good, Applied Artificial Intelligence, Generative Thinking, AI and Financial Information, and Starting an AI Company.
- Academic ecosystem: The track is supported by Booth’s Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence, which convenes faculty, students, and alumni for talks, workshops, and research at the intersection of AI, business, and society.
- Market aim: Booth positions the track as transformational rather than purely technical, emphasizing how AI reshapes decision-making, human capital, and organizational design.
Why it matters
- Employer signal: Formalizing an AI pathway addresses a recognized skills gap and gives MBAs structured, applied fluency in AI tools, governance, and strategy.
- Career relevance: The three-course sequence can be tailored across finance, entrepreneurship, product/tech, and analytics contexts, strengthening placement in roles that require AI-enabled leadership.
References
- Chicago Booth Applied AI concentration overview
- Chicago Booth announcement story on the new concentration
- Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence at Booth
- AACSB People and Places: July 2025 featuring Booth’s Applied AI addition
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Jeff Morrow is the Publisher of MBAGuide.org, where he leads content strategy, program evaluation, and data-driven rankings for prospective MBA students. Drawing from over three decades of experience in digital publishing, marketing, and platform development, Jeff helps readers make informed, confident decisions about their graduate business education. His focus on transparency, affordability, and outcomes has positioned MBAGuide.org as a trusted resource for comparing online MBA programs across the U.S. for over 10 years.
Before launching MBAGuide.org, Jeff held senior roles at Microsoft, CareerBuilder, and several venture-backed startups. At Microsoft, he managed the redesign and daily operations of TechNet, the company’s primary support portal for IT professionals. He drove major improvements in user experience, search optimization, and cost efficiency. His career has spanned content strategy, product marketing, and consulting for high-growth digital and SaaS ventures—experience he now channels into helping future business leaders navigate their MBA journey.
Jeff holds a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from UCLA.
