Students explore the power of generative AI
Students from the Management School’s Operations and Supply Chain Management group attended a special lecture with guest speaker Jez Bassinder, Consulting UKI watsonx and Generative AI Leader for IBM, to learn about the opportunities and challenges of this nascent technology.
Jez introduced students to the history of AI, from its earliest incarnation in the 1950s through to its prevalence in modern business, technology and culture, and its potential for the future. The undergraduate and postgraduate students in attendance heard about the ethics associated with Generative AI, from helping to reduce bias in chatbots and debate over the ownership of creative outputs, to the impact of implementing automation in an established workforce.
Professor Andrew Lyons, Head of the School’s Operations and Supply Chain Management group, said: “Jez Bassinder, a partner with IBM and its lead for Generative AI consulting in the UK and Ireland, delivered a thoroughly absorbing session on AI and the impact AI is having transforming business and management policies and practices. It was a special session for our students providing them with an opportunity to hear from a highly-influential industry leader but also provided our staff with strong affirmation that our research and new programme plans are at the vanguard of current industry thinking.”
This speaker session was organised by Dr Jennifer Davies, Director of Studies for the MSc Project Management programme within the Operations and Supply Chain Management group which delivers world-class research, teaching programmes and business collaborations, aimed at devising and implementing advanced solutions to optimise the use of resources and skills across technology-enhanced social and business networks.
Jennifer said: “I'm extremely grateful to Jez for showcasing IBM's inspiring work in the field of Generative AI. The session delved into AI ethics and its role in cutting-edge business scenarios, offering students immediate, practical applications. Jez highlighted the competitive advantage for business leaders and project managers in embracing AI, echoing recent APM reports on the use of AI in Project Management.”
Student takeaways
Daniel McNair final year BA Business Management with a year in industry: “Hearing about how AI works has always been interesting to me. To have someone from IBM come and present to us was really valuable. I hope I can involve myself with it in the future and share my own experience. As watching how IBM make things happen was quite inspiring.”
Paniz Mohammad-Bagheri, final year BA Business Management with a year in industry: “The session with Jez Bassinder was very interesting and provided valuable insights into the current opportunities of generative AI in business and where the technology could be going in the future. The session gave me a further understanding of the challenges of generative AI as well as an insight into some of IBM’s current work in helping overcome them. Overall, this was a brilliant learning session and a truly enjoyable experience.”
Sankalp Patil, MSc Project Management course representative: “As future leaders and professionals in the making, it is very important to understand what Jeremy rightly said - Generative AI isn't just a mere technical tool, but a strategic enabler, inspiring businesses to limitless creativity and innovation that needs ethical boundaries to ensure technology aligns with societal values for a promising future.”
Rakhi Girish Hiremath, MSc Project Management course representative: “I found Jeremy's session truly captivating, exploring the fascinating realm of generative AI. The dynamic demo heightened my interest, and the practical applications of cutting-edge technology were both exciting and enjoyable for me. It offered a personal and enriching journey into the possibilities of emerging tech.”
Michaela Burrows, final year BA Business Management with a year in industry: “The visit from Jez was completely eye-opening. His talk was impactful and delivered valuable insight into all the wonderful opportunities AI has to offer. I was truly inspired learning about the history of IBM’s innovations, and even more excited by what is on the horizon. My key takeaway is to incorporate AI into my daily life as I now understand the value of co-creation and how this will revolutionise our future world of work.”
