AI@CBS
Discover how Columbia Business School integrates artificial intelligence (AI) into its MBA, Executive MBA, MS, and PhD programs, preparing students to lead in a tech-driven world.
Innovating the Future of Work
AI is changing the way we work, and the Career Management Center (Careers) at Columbia Business School has organized numerous AI-focused events and introduced AI-powered tools to help students and alumni adapt to these changes and achieve their long-term professional goals. The Careers team provides valuable insights into how AI is reshaping industries, and the roles employers seek to fill.
Through workshops and panel discussions with industry leaders who actively integrate AI into their work, students gain firsthand knowledge of its real-world applications. These sessions highlight how AI is transforming workplace dynamics, streamlining operations, and creating new opportunities across various fields, from media to cybersecurity. By leveraging AI in career development, Careers empowers students to make informed decisions and remain competitive in an evolving job market.
Leveraging AI in Career Development
Expanding Career Insights with Industry Experts
Careers at Columbia Business School hosts specialized programs featuring industry experts on topics such as investing in AI, AI’s role in product development, and its impact on technology and society. These events give students the opportunity to hear directly from leaders in technology, venture capital, and artificial intelligence about how AI is transforming industries and shaping business strategies.
A recent event featured Sunita Lokuge, technology career advisor, interviewing Katie Pypes, Product Enablement Specialist at OpenAI, to provide insights into AI careers. Katie shared her transition from social enterprise to tech and offered an inside look at product enablement at OpenAI. She also discussed how her background in social impact has shaped her approach to ethical AI deployment, fostering inclusivity in technology, and emphasizing AI’s broader societal implications.
Attendee Quick Takes
Students valued the opportunity to learn from an industry expert. One attendee noted that it "helped expose career pathways within leading AI companies and showed how different backgrounds can contribute to the field." Engaging with professionals like Katie provides both technical insights and career inspiration. This session reflects Careers’ commitment to equipping students with the knowledge and connections needed to navigate careers in AI and beyond.
Integrating AI Tools for Career Success
Careers harnesses AI-powered tools to give students a competitive advantage in their career search process. These solutions support students at every stage—from career exploration to resume refinement, interview preparation, and offer negotiation.
One such tool is the CMC Resume Helper, an AI-powered writing assistant built using OpenAI’s GPT technology and customized by our career technology advisor to enhance technology-focused resume bullet points. It helps students craft compelling descriptions of their experiences by identifying key skills, aligning with employer expectations, and ensuring clarity in their achievements. Used by over 500 CBS students, this tool has greatly improved the resume-writing process. One student shared, “It has been incredibly helpful and has really boosted my efficiency when writing and tailoring resumes. I’ve been using it for nearly all my applications.”
Key Factors for Career Success
One key factor in the effectiveness of AI tools is the quality of the initial prompt and how CBS students utilize these resources. That’s where Career advisors and industry experts provide an invaluable layer of guidance and expertise to support CBS students.
Careers at CBS helps students strategically employ AI tools to ensure their job materials and interviews reflect their distinctive brand, authentic voice, and professional identity.
AI-powered job interview tools allow students to practice at their convenience, providing flexibility in their preparation. These tools offer personalized feedback on responses, body language, and tone, helping students refine their communication skills. By simulating real interview scenarios, AI enables students to build confidence and improve their performance before meeting with employers. This technology ensures they receive targeted guidance, allowing them to focus on areas that need improvement.
By integrating these AI tools with expert guidance, Careers provides CBS students with a powerful advantage as they navigate their career journeys.
The Impact of AI on the Future of Work
Gracy Sarkissian, Associate Dean of Careers, discusses how AI advances, driving fundamental shifts in industries and the workplace.
“Students need to understand that AI is more than just improving the career search process; it’s about recognizing how AI is reshaping the entire workplace and driving the development of future industries,” she explains. As AI evolves, students must stay ahead of emerging trends, adapting their skill sets to meet the demands of a rapidly changing job market.
Gracy says, “By harnessing the power of AI, students can not only improve their immediate career prospects but also position themselves for long-term success in industries that have yet to be fully transformed.”
Where AI Meets Career Strategy
The Careers team provides students with AI-powered tools that offer instant, real-time feedback, enabling personalized optimization and streamlining the job search process. This technology allows advisors to focus their time and expertise where it matters most. When students use AI tools for foundational guidance, their meetings with advisors can focus on deeper, more strategic career discussions. AI-powered career solutions represent the future of job searching—where technology and human expertise converge to help students maximize their potential.
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