Published on 03-19-2025
AI, particularly generative AI, has unleashed capabilities that have supercharged the pace of change. Companies that have long engaged with emerging technologies now have an edge, so long as they can recruit a trained workforce to maintain it.
Through leadership training and cutting-edge courses in robotics, AI and computational thinking, the MBT program helps students strengthen their business acumen and enter industries better equipped to address AI-related challenges in the corporate world.
In 2024, the Daniels School launched the Master of Business and Technology (MBT) program with input and guidance from an advisory board of industry leaders, including Jim Miller.
During his time as Wayfair’s chief technology officer, the simple process of presenting catalogues to customers and selling lamps was completely digitalized with technology, Miller says.
“If you are buying a lamp, as a consumer, you have multiple different styles and options. What technology enabled us to do was develop a digital insertion of every item into a room. With augmented reality (AR), we’ve created a ‘designer in a box’ that allows consumers to imagine their desired product in their space. The digitalization of our catalog revolutionized the customer experience and transformed the level of value we were able to add,” explains Miller.
Mohammad Rahman, academic director of the MBT program, explains that the program was designed to bridge a critical skills gap in the market — where professionals must possess both business expertise and a deep understanding of technology. The goal is to present technology to students as a tool they can use for their competitive advantage rather than simply an operational element.
Rahman explains that through the MBT program, students are trained to think about the problem first and then understand what ChatGPT and other generative AI can offer to help approach the problem.
“At the end of the day, augmentation means you own the output. We want our students to realize that you cannot go back to your manager and say, ‘Oh, I did this because ChatGPT gave me all the code.’ That’s not an option. You own all the output. We’re fully equipping students to ramp up their productivity and understanding of AI so they can use it,” says Rahman.
The MBT program also fosters an ecosystem rich in start-ups and is well known for its ability to inspire students to develop new ventures. As a result, in addition to the MBT curriculum, students have direct access to a variety of incubator-like environments, including the Business Career Services, Purdue Innovates and the Technology Landscape Speaker Series, among others.
STEM equals business at the Daniels School. Watch the full webinar below for more insights on AI in the business world and how the MBT program at the Daniels School of Business is training the next generation of business professionals to enable digital transformation and technology and business scalability.
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