Booth Adds Academic Concentration in Applied AI

Chicago Booth is excited to announce the addition of a new MBA concentration in Applied Artificial Intelligence. 

AI technologies are transforming virtually every industry, and organizations are evolving their strategies to incorporate generative AI, machine learning, natural language processing, and other AI capabilities.

The speed of AI adoption has accelerated the need for business leaders who understand these technologies and their applications, no matter their industry—from finance to operations, consulting to technology, marketing to entrepreneurship. To deploy AI effectively and responsibly, these leaders will need technical understanding as well as strategic insights into organizational structures, best-use cases, and the business environment.

The addition of the AI concentration addresses this new business reality, preparing students for leadership challenges inherent in the adoption of AI within organizations. Students will benefit from Booth’s faculty expertise as well as a growing number of AI-focused courses such as AI Essentials, Machine Learning in Finance, and Starting an AI Company. 

“At Booth, our approach isn’t just technical—it’s transformational,” says Sanjog Misra, the Charles H. Kellstadt Distinguished Service Professor of Marketing and Applied AI. “Through the new concentration, we will challenge students to think differently, not just about algorithms, but about how AI reshapes human capital, decision-making, and society itself. It’s here that cutting-edge computation meets deeply human insight.”

Students who pursue the new concentration can take advantage of the resources offered by the Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence (CAAI). CAAI serves as the school’s hub for thought leadership in the areas of AI and machine learning. Center staff help recruit faculty experts in these fields, support cutting-edge research, and organize a wide range of events.

“The Center for Applied AI cultivates a vibrant ecosystem where faculty, students, and alumni come together to explore the frontiers of artificial intelligence,” says Misra, who also serves as the center’s faculty director. “Our talks, workshops, and conferences extend critical dialogues beyond the classroom, sparking the kinds of conversations that shape the future of AI in business and society.”

The Applied AI concentration expands Booth’s already robust offerings to 16 total concentrations. Students interested in the new concentration will be required to complete three relevant courses, which they can choose according to their interests. In addition to AI Essentials, Machine Learning in Finance, and Starting an AI Company, courses include AI and Financial Information, AI for Good, Applied Artificial Intelligence, and Generative Thinking, all taught by Booth’s world-class faculty. 

“Concentrations provide a clear throughline for students,” Misra says. “With the right balance of structure and flexibility, this new concentration empowers students to pursue their individual ambitions in AI while ensuring they gain the rigorous, strategic insight needed to lead in a constantly and rapidly evolving landscape.”

An excerpt of this story appeared in the Fall 2025 print issue of Chicago Booth Magazine under “News Around Booth.”