UNO Business Students Use AI to Hone Strategic Decision-Making

How UNO's College of Business is preparing students for an AI-driven workforce

Talking about AI is easy. Using it effectively? That’s the real challenge.

At UNO’s College of Business Administration (CBA), faculty are doing more than just discussing AI—they’re embedding it into coursework, helping students sharpen their critical thinking, decision-making, and market analysis skills.

What’s happening: Management Professors Dr. Erin Bass, Dr. Erin Pleggenkuhle-Miles, and Dr. Brent Clark are leading the charge in the UNO College of Business Administration in preparing students to effectively integrate AI into their strategic decision-making processes. Their approach, implemented at both the undergraduate and MBA levels, is not just about using AI but about fostering a hybrid decision-making model—one that blends AI-driven insights with human critical thinking.

“When AI exploded a couple of years ago, Erin [Pleggenkuhle-Miles] and I were very much forward-thinking. How can we potentially use some of these tools in the classroom? At the time, we were trying to help students with strategic decision-making. We found a whole research stream on hybrid decision-making that combines AI and cognition, so we thought to intentionally integrate the two in a hybrid format for strategic decision-making,” Dr. Bass said.

🔎 Inside the Classroom

AI is a brainstorming partner for undergraduates in UNO’s capstone business course.

👉 Students initially generate business ideas on their own.
👉 Then, they refine those ideas using ChatGPT with targeted prompts, such as:

• What’s the most profitable business idea?

• What has the least competition?

• What makes sense for Omaha?

The result? A hybrid decision-making process where AI sparks ideas, but students apply their coursework knowledge to assess feasibility.

Example: One group considered a pizza oven food truck. AI suggested it as a profitable venture, but students recognized logistical challenges—like operational constraints—that would make it unworkable.

"AI provided possibilities, but the students' business acumen helped them determine what was actually viable," Dr. Bass explained.

But it’s not just about business ideas—students are learning to get creative with AI tools.

One assignment in Dr. Clark’s class challenged students to create something impressive using AI. The results?

• A deepfake-style video of Dr. Clark announcing A+ grades for everyone.

• A Star Wars–Harry Potter mashup poem, read in Hermione’s voice using AI-generated audio.

• A country song about their business course, complete with AI-generated lyrics and vocals.

One key lesson: Prompt engineering matters. Students who refined their AI prompts through multiple iterations achieved the most impressive results.

“You're helping them train themselves and learn how to how to create prompts, how to interact with the generative AI, and teaching them to use it effectively,” Dr. Clark said.

One surprising takeaway was how few students actively used AI tools for their coursework.

“When we started doing this, it was shocking to us how few students were using generative AI in this way. Some had used it, but not to help them with their coursework. Some were worried about using it because of plagiarism or weren't sure how to use it. And so, we realized that a key part of this is just to introduce it to show them how they can use it in a way that will provide value in their education. Students can have ChatGPT come up with a list of ideas, but it's not helpful without you critically analyzing them. And so I think it showed the beauty of the human and technology component and how it comes together,” said Dr. Pleggenkuhle-Miles.

🎓 AI in MBA Strategy Courses

For MBA students, the integration of AI was more comprehensive, spanning an eight-week-long project in a strategy class. Unlike the undergraduates, MBA students were required to engage with multiple generative AI tools beyond just ChatGPT. The assignment required them to:

✅ Use at least three AI tools to conduct industry analysis.
✅ Critically evaluate AI-generated insights.
✅ Compare AI findings with their own research.

Through this process, they discover AI’s limitations—such as outdated data—and learn how to refine prompts for better results.

MBA students also explore AI beyond ChatGPT, using tools for slide deck creation, data analysis, and content generation. “They were initially hesitant when we asked them to choose their own AI tools,” Dr. Bass shared. “But it pushed them to explore beyond what they already knew.”

🧠 The Three-Step AI Learning Process

UNO faculty are helping students build real AI literacy—not just by using the tools but by understanding them.

What’s possible?

• Students start by learning about AI’s capabilities across industries—from marketing to finance to logistics.

• They brainstorm how AI could be applied to real-world business challenges.

How to use it effectively?

• Students refine their AI prompts, learning that vague input produces poor output.

• They analyze results critically identifying gaps, inconsistencies, and AI-generated fluff.

Understanding AI’s limitations

• AI isn’t thinking—it’s just generating plausible text or images.

• It can be wrong—one infamous example: A lawyer was disciplined for citing fake AI-generated legal cases in court.

• AI can sound good but lack substance—especially in strategic decision-making.

"If you presented some AI-generated business recommendations to a CEO, they'd fire you," Dr. Clark said. "It sounds smart, but there’s very little depth."

🌎 The Bigger Picture

UNO isn’t just integrating AI into the classroom—it’s leading conversations about AI’s role in business education. Faculty members recently presented their work at HICSS, a leading international conference on information technology management.

Next up? UNO faculty are collaborating with researchers from Cambridge University and the University of Manchester to launch research to better understand students’ perceptions of AI and barriers to adoption.

Meanwhile, UNO’s upcoming AI Symposium on March 12 will provide students, faculty, and local businesses with deeper insights into AI’s impact on the workforce.

⚡ What’s Next

📌 Want to upskill in AI? UNO offers AI micro-credentials to help members of the UNO and Omaha communities gain hands-on experience with AI tools. These low-cost certifications are available to students, alumni, and professionals looking to upskill.

📌 Interested in learning more? UNO recently launched the AI Learning Lab to leverage AI in teaching and learning, research, and campus operations.

📌 Want to see AI in action? Don’t miss UNO’s AI Symposium on March 12—a must-attend event for anyone looking to stay ahead in the evolving job market.

UNO is setting the standard for AI integration in business education, ensuring students graduate with the skills employers expect. Because in the future of business, knowing AI won’t be optional—it’ll be essential.