By Ashley Durand (BS 2013) and Elizabeth West (BA 26)
If you are considering a degree in business, you may wonder how AI will impact the future of business jobs. How will you harness the possibilities of AI and business while ethically creating original ideas and problem-solving on your own?
At Grace’s School of Business, professors and staff are asking the same questions and considering the implications for students. The result? Important curriculum changes.
“As the Grace College School of Business steps into an exciting new era, we are uniquely positioned to lead Christian business education by intentionally integrating artificial intelligence into our curriculum,” said Dr. Thomas Pycraft, dean of the School of Business.
What does this mean practically? We asked Dr. Pycraft and business professor, Dr. Rick Koontz, about how they integrate AI ethics into business, and this is what they shared:
Q: What Is a Christian Perspective on AI and Business Ethics?
A: “True to our spiritual vision to know Him and make Him known, this curriculum update ensures our students do not just navigate technological change, but actively lead it with faith and integrity,” shared Pycraft. “By embracing these industry-defining advancements alongside our exceptional faculty and expanding facilities, we prepare our graduates for immediate marketplace success while building a powerful, future-ready network of alumni collaboration.”
Learning how to use AI to enhance a business career is not enough. At Grace, we believe that a Christian worldview impacts every nook and cranny of business education, and should alter the way that you conduct your future career.
Q: Can Humans Compete With AI?
A: “Within the business community, AI is increasing efficiency for professionals already in the workforce. Unfortunately, this also means that competition in the job market for our graduates will become more intense,” said Koontz. “In their book, ‘Teaching with AI,’ authors Bowen and Watson point out, “Employers will soon have no reason to hire C students” (p. 40). That doesn’t mean students should be discouraged; it means the expectations have changed. As faculty, we must continually challenge our students to develop higher levels of critical thinking, creativity, communication, and ethical judgment. Likewise, students must challenge themselves to stand out from the crowd by demonstrating the uniquely human skills that AI cannot replace.”
With higher expectations placed on professionals in the field, a good education is paramount. Incorporating AI ethics in business requires students who have been mentored by knowledgeable and conscientious professors, found in faith-based institutions like Grace College. The training and experience required by a college program to graduate is needed for students to truly know how to compete with AI and others in the industry.
But no matter how much AI develops, it can never truly replace the human brain because no one can out-create God. Artificial intelligence will always require smart individuals with a strong sense of ethics to harness its power appropriately.
Q: How Has AI Changed Grace’s Curriculum?
A: “AI is an amazing tool with the potential to transform how we do business. For that reason, we must incorporate it into the learning process. But learning AI is much broader than simply clicking a button and typing a prompt,” said Koontz. “The value you receive from AI depends largely on how you work with it. To use AI well, you must already be a critical thinker and a problem solver, and you need enough domain knowledge to evaluate and refine the responses it provides. As a result, we need to teach our students more than just how to use AI tools — we must also challenge them to think differently so they can use those tools wisely.”
Some personal teaching strategies Koontz has implemented in his class to teach about AI ethics in business include:
- Giving students five minutes in class to research a topic using AI and randomly select groups to present
- Generating practice test prompts with students to study for upcoming exams
- Instructing students how to research and analyze company financials using AI and then make strategic recommendations based on that information
- Testing students by asking them to evaluate AI-generated results and look for the problems or incorrect information
- Building and evaluating code with students using AI
- Generating case studies for class discussion with AI
- Teaching students how to use AI to learn about programs like Excel or Google Sheets
These are just a few examples of how business professors are using AI ethically in the classroom at Grace and training students how to use AI ethics in business.
Q: How do you ethically use AI in business?
A: “AI is one of the most powerful tools ever created, but it is still a tool,” said Koontz. “It does not replace wisdom, character, or sound judgment—in fact, it makes them even more important. As AI becomes more capable, the qualities that distinguish great business leaders will not be their ability to generate information, but their ability to ask better questions, think critically, make ethical decisions, and lead people well. That perspective fits Grace College perfectly. We are committed to developing graduates who possess both competence and character, because in an AI-driven world, success will depend not only on what you know or what you can do, but on the kind of person you become.”
What Happens Next?
AI is not going anywhere, and it will undoubtedly shape the careers of our students. At Grace, we are excited to help students enter the business world ready to not only thrive in a professional way, but to also stand out as Christians who have a strong commitment to ethics and to becoming a person of intense integrity.
To learn more about how AI is influencing other disciplines at Grace, read this blog on the impact of AI on higher education.
References
Bowen, J. A., & Watson, C. E. (2024). Teaching with AI: A practical guide to a new era of human learning. Johns Hopkins University Press.
