As AI becomes an integral part of the business landscape, even the most accomplished professionals can feel a sense of urgency to adapt. Many are seeking practical, immediately applicable training that builds both competence and confidence. The Costello MBA program at George Mason University prepares students to lead in this new era—equipping them with the skills and strategic mindset to thrive. At Costello, AI isn’t a threat. It’s an opportunity.
Intended for managers, consultants, and entrepreneurs who want to lead AI-driven change, the new AI for Business Transformation elective course puts in plain terms what these AI technologies are capable of, how they’re being used in industry, and how to use them responsibly and strategically. “These MBA students brought rich managerial and analytical perspectives, and it was impressive to see how quickly they developed new technical skills over the course of just eight weeks,” says Pallab Sanyal, area chair and professor of information systems and operations management. The technologies they explore include machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing, and generative AI.
Sanyal has been teaching machine learning—an underlying technology of AI—in Costello’s graduate programs for more than a decade. For both his own professional work and many of his personal needs, such as travel planning, he has been using several LLM (large language model) and generative AI tools, like ChatGPT, Claude, and Grok, among others. “I think understanding AI, how it affects businesses, and how we as individuals can equip ourselves with AI skills are all important,” he says.
Structured over eight weeks, the first half of the course focuses on exploring the technologies of AI, and the second half covers the managerial implications of AI, such as the applications and responsible use of generative AI. None of the assignments require coding. Instead, students read cases on the applications and challenges of AI, use no-code tools to complete machine learning exercises, and conclude with a project in which they build a functional AI-powered tool to address a real-world opportunity.
Fatima Nadeem, a master’s student in social entrepreneurship and founder/CEO of Trail Rush, took AI for Business Transformation because she wanted to understand how AI could make her platform smarter and more efficient. She found the course to be very practical. “I got to experiment with machine learning tools and understand how to translate what I was learning into real work for my startup,” she says. “One of the highlights of the course was building a chatbot that we’re now adding to our website to improve customer engagement.”
As managing director and co-owner of Watts Group, Ricky Furusawa, MBA ‘25, took the course to keep pace with the “AI takeover” and pick up one or two new uses of AI. What he took away was a deep understanding of the fundamentals of AI, which has empowered him to guide his team through AI adoption. “We are now exploring different uses of AI and experimenting on a daily basis,” he says. “Because of this class, I feel ahead in adopting AI. The biggest change was mindset: I now try to think exponentially, not linearly—which is critical to keeping pace with AI. Everyone should take Professor Sanyal’s class!”
“Because of this class, I feel ahead in adopting AI. The biggest change was mindset: I now try to think exponentially, not linearly—which is critical to keeping pace with AI. Everyone should take Professor Sanyal’s class!”
— Ricky Furusawa, MBA ‘25
In an evolving business landscape rapidly being shaped by AI, the Costello MBA program is a forward-thinking, practical pathway for professionals eager to lead with confidence. Through faculty experts, hands-on learning, and real-world application, students are gaining technical awareness and a strategic mindset for harnessing AI to use as a competitive advantage.
Pallab Sanyal hiking the summit of Mount Fuji in Japan. Photo by Pallab Sanyal.
An avid hiker, Sanyal captures the necessity of the course: “Adopting AI for business transformation is like moving from casual day hikes to serious backpacking—if you don’t prep right, you’ll end up lost, exhausted, and out of water.” Far from lost, his students are prepared to lead into the future.