By now, it seems artificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere.
Karl Knapp wants to make sure the emerging technology is ever present on the University of Indianapolis campus – and especially in the classrooms of its business school.
Knapp last month was named dean of UIndy’s School of Business. But Knapp is not just an educator, he’s also an AI expert with deep roots in the business sector.
Knapp has 17 years of industry experience managing in the areas of information technology and strategic planning in the financial services and high-tech manufacturing industries. He joined UIndy as a professor in 2006. He won teacher of the year honors four times at two different universities, including as UIndy’s Teacher of the Year in 2010.
And he’s all in on AI.
As associate dean, he implemented a priority on this emerging field to ensure that every class in the School of Business includes AI in some way, shape or form to make sure students are prepared for the future. As dean, he’s poised to make sure all the school’s business students graduate with a firm grasp of AI and how it can be leveraged by the students and their prospective employers. He’s working with faculty to find ways to continue to weave AI into every business class.
“Every discipline is approaching AI differently so I’m not dictating how faculty does this,” Knapp explains. “Students have to be conversant (in AI) or they won’t be competitive.”
Knapp sees an interesting parallel between AI and a more mundane, even old-school, technology.
“I view it like the advent of the calculator. It creates a new way of doing things,” Knapp says. “I want my faculty to use all the latest tools. I asked every faculty member to at least introduce AI into class assignments.”
In the end, he wants the school’s instructors to do much more than merely introduce AI into their class. He’s shooting for full integration. For instance, he explains, UIndy students could use AI in research and development projects, marketing and sales assignments and even learn to use it to educate a broad audience on a future employer’s products and services. Knapp says it won’t be long before AI is a business imperative for all companies – and the vast majority of employees.
“There are AI applications for every single industry. All of them,” Knapp emphasizes. “That’s why we’re intent on embedding regular use of artificial intelligence and advanced data analytics throughout our curriculum as we prepare the next generation of business leaders.”
There’s been much made of AI’s capability, including its ability to write computer code. Knapp, a computer programmer who is well versed in 11 computer languages, isn’t convinced AI will do anything to diminish the need for human computer programmers.
“AI doesn’t mean we won’t need computer programmers. It’s early with this technology, so it’s challenging to say just how this will play out, but it could be the opposite,” Knapp says. “With AI systems in their current state, it’s garbage in, garbage out. It’s imperative to have a good backbone of programmers behind this.”
Knapp, who began working with AI in 1986, spent his sabbatical in 2022 researching and studying how AI affects employees and organizations in the business world. He thinks it’s critical to work closely with the business sector in developing curriculum and the plan for AI inclusion.
“With the experience of our professors, we’re constantly getting feedback from the business sector,” Knapp states. “We have an external focus, getting feedback from various companies and industries. We’re always looking at adding to our curriculum. All our professors are like that, not just me.”
Anthony Schoettle is the director of communications for the Indiana Chamber. He started with the Chamber in 2021 after a long career in journalism. He’s won multiple awards for his storytelling ability on a wide range of business topics.
