Assistant Professor Mustafa Akben has introduced several artificial intelligence tools into a fall semester course that provides students with the essential skills for effective leadership in the workplace.
Mustafa Akben, assistant professor of management at the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business who was a winner of an international AI competition earlier this year, is testing new approaches this fall to teaching strategic planning, management and organizational behavior.
Akben’s approach in his course, “Principles of Management and Organizational Behavior,” marks another shift toward embracing AI as an effective classroom tool.
After embedding AI tools into the classes, Akben said he has noted a significant increase in engagement with course material compared to previous classes.
Examples of his new tools:
- Through dedicated websites, students engage in conversations with historical figures like Socrates and Frederick Taylor, exploring course-related topics as well as the personal lives of historical figures.
- Students learn through a “Mock Interview App by Dr. Moose,” a personalized tool aiding students in honing their interview skills. Akben said that students from prior classes also utilize the tool and have shared the website with their friends.
- Embedded within Moodle, Akben’s courses feature AI-driven chat bots designed to guide students toward answers with critical thinking, self-discovery and active participation in the learning process.
“It was my first time using an AI in the classroom,” said student Jake Plage ’25, a finance major from Bedford, New Hampshire. “I think it will be a great tool and something that is not going away.”
Other students expressed similar enthusiasm for the new technology.
“The idea that a computer is able to spit out information as though they are Frederick Taylor explains how innovative the world is today,” student Madison Rooney ’26, a finance major from Rockland County, New York. “It is a great concept to be shown within classroom settings.”
Akben said he is next looking to create an interactive escape room to introduce in upcoming classes. He said his observations reveal heightened engagement and inclusivity, and that AI is not just a tool but rather “the future.”
In terms of the question of whether AI will or will not replace human interaction in class, “I believe it’s all about carefully designing your AI tools,” Akben said. “The design of the AI tools should provide opportunities to interact with the course materials and also encourage classroom discussions, the exchange of ideas, and collaboration within the classroom community.”