Symposium

Navigating the AI Revolution: DePaul’s Symposium on AI in Business

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DePaul Symposium for AI in Business

The artificial intelligence transformation isn’t coming to business – it’s already here. As organizations across every industry grapple with how to harness AI’s potential while managing its challenges, one question emerges above all others: How do we prepare today’s professionals and tomorrow’s leaders for an AI-driven business landscape?

DePaul University’s Symposium for AI in Business addresses this critical question head-on, offering a comprehensive exploration of AI’s role in modern commerce. This intensive half-day event brings together industry leaders, educators, and students to examine not just what AI can do, but how we can do AI responsibly and effectively.

Why This Symposium Matters Now

Understanding AI in business requires more than just knowing the latest tools or trends. It demands a deep comprehension of how artificial intelligence is reshaping fundamental business processes, changing employer expectations, and creating new ethical considerations that every professional must navigate. This symposium approaches these challenges systematically, building understanding from the ground up.

The event’s structure reflects this educational philosophy, moving participants through increasingly sophisticated concepts while maintaining practical relevance throughout. Rather than offering superficial overviews, each session dives deep into specific aspects of the AI business landscape.

Who Should Attend

This symposium is designed for anyone seeking to understand AI’s business implications at a deeper level. Current business students will gain crucial insights into employer expectations and career preparation strategies. Working professionals can update their understanding of AI trends while developing frameworks for navigating AI implementation in their organizations.

Educators and trainers will appreciate the symposium’s systematic approach to complex topics, potentially informing their own curriculum development. Even those without technical backgrounds will find the content accessible, as the focus remains on business applications and implications rather than technical implementation details.

For Business Leaders

Understanding regional AI development helps participants grasp that artificial intelligence implementation isn’t uniform across markets. Chicago’s approach to business AI reflects specific economic strengths, industry clusters, and talent pipelines that create unique opportunities and challenges. This geographic lens provides a concrete framework for understanding how AI strategies must be tailored to local business environments.

For Students

Perhaps no topic generates more anxiety among current students and working professionals than the evolving job market. The panel discussion on AI skills employers are looking for addresses this concern directly by bringing together industry leaders and hiring managers from across sectors.

For Faculty

This session moves beyond generic advice about “learning AI” to examine specific competencies that different industries value most. Participants will discover that AI skills aren’t just technical – they encompass critical thinking about AI applications, understanding of AI limitations, and the ability to work effectively alongside AI systems. The cross-industry perspective reveals how AI skill requirements vary dramatically between sectors, helping attendees make more informed career decisions. The symposium encourages deep exploration of nuanced questions. For instance, how do employers balance AI technical skills with traditional business acumen? What’s the difference between AI literacy and AI expertise, and how do they impact career path requirements?

The Learning Experience

The symposium’s schedule balances intensive content delivery with strategic breaks that allow for reflection and informal networking. The afternoon timing (1:00 PM to 5:00 PM) accommodates working professionals while providing enough time for substantial exploration of each topic.

Beyond the Event

While the symposium provides comprehensive coverage of AI in business topics, it also serves as a launching point for continued exploration. Participants will leave with better questions to ask, clearer frameworks for evaluation, and stronger foundations for ongoing learning.

Present at the fourth AI in Teaching Symposium

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The DePaul AI Institute is embarking on a series of signature events and collaborative resources that strategically and pragmatically integrate artificial intelligence into academic activities that promote student learning and enhance critical thinking skills. The AI in Teaching Symposiums are opportunities for DePaul faculty and staff to share and see how their colleagues have successfully utilized an AI activity or assignment into their teaching. Quick, simple, direct demonstrations that can be easily adopted in other courses at the university.

We are soliciting proposals from interested faculty members who would like to develop a brief presentation (along with accompanying resources) and present to the university community at the fourth AI in Teaching Symposium. The deadline for submission is Monday, November 1, 2026.

For the fourth symposium, up to 5 faculty members will be selected to present. The symposium will be held on Friday, January 30, 2026, from 1-3 PM at the Coleman Entrepreneurship Center (DePaul Center 5100, 1 East Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60604)

Here are the guidelines for the presentations:

  • No more than ten minutes to present on an AI assignment, practice, or concept that can be implemented in other courses taught at DePaul.
  • No more than five minutes for Q&A.
  • Written resources (overview, recommendations, links, etc.) must accompany each presentation. These will be shared on the web.
  • Presenting live from the DePaul Center during the Symposium.
  • A high-quality recording of your presentation to be shared on a library of instructional AI use cases on the Institute’s Web site (the recording must completed within two weeks after the symposium)

Presenters will be awarded a $500 honorarium.;

The Symposium will be offered in a Flex format. The sessions will be recorded, but the recording will be only shared with DePaul faculty and staff in a password protected streamed format. The high-quality recordings of the presentations for the use case library will be recorded in the Driehaus College of Business’ video studio on the 8th floor of the DePaul Center. The time commitment for this effort would be a 15-minute Zoom call prior to recording, and then 45 minutes on the day of recording. Your assets and recording would then be publicly shared to the web.

You can apply to present here.

4th AI in Teaching Symposium

jmoore Blog, Teaching , ,

We’re excited to invite you to a transformative event exclusively for educators, looking to integrate artificial intelligence strategically and pragmatically into academic activities that promote student learning and enhance critical thinking skills.

The AI in Teaching Symposiums are opportunities for DePaul faculty and staff to share and see how their colleagues have successfully utilized an AI activity or assignment into their teaching. Quick, simple, direct demonstrations that can be easily adopted in other courses at the university.

The 4th AI in Teaching Symposium will take place Friday January 30 at 1PM. This will be a Flex event – you can attend in person or remotely via Zoom.

Why Attend?

  • Innovate Your Teaching: Discover cutting-edge techniques and practical strategies from your peers.
  • Collaborate and Connect: Engage in lively discussions, practical demonstrations, and networking opportunities. The symposium is your platform to exchange insights with fellow educators passionate about enhancing their teaching methods and student outcomes.
  • Make a Difference: Our students understand that AI is permeating all aspects of work and society. Help make them better prepared leaders.

Agenda

  • Friday January 30, 2026
  • 1:00 PM: Opening Remarks.
  • 1:15 PM: Faculty Presentations.
  • 2:20 PM: Discussion.
  • 2:50 PM: Closing Remarks.