Applied Artificial Intelligence for Business Implementation
Overview
ITM TBD: Applied Artificial Intelligence for Business Implementation is an elective graduate course designed for MIS and MSIS students at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Shidler College of Business. The course focuses on developing the judgment and strategic thinking required to use AI effectively in real organizational contexts.
Rather than treating AI as a purely technical subject, the course emphasizes how to apply it intelligently—understanding when it creates value, how to use it responsibly, and how to build the data foundations that support it. Students move beyond surface-level tool usage to approach AI as a business capability shaped by data quality, governance, and long-term strategy.
As organizations continue to adopt AI, many struggle to translate its potential into meaningful outcomes. This course prepares students to bridge that gap by evaluating AI opportunities, designing data-driven solutions, and implementing systems that are both effective and responsible. Graduates are equipped not just to use AI tools, but to lead thoughtful, well-governed AI initiatives within organizations.
Course Objectives
Students who complete this course will be able to:
- Align AI with business goals — Evaluate and communicate how AI initiatives connect to operational workflows, financial outcomes, and long-term organizational transformation
- Explain core AI concepts — Articulate machine learning, neural networks, tokenization, and agentic AI with an emphasis on practical business applications
- Apply real-world case studies — Examine documented AI implementations, cloud-based tools, and measurable ROI outcomes from industry
- Manage data requirements — Identify data labeling, taxonomy design, pipelines, feature engineering, vector databases, and synthetic data needs for AI projects
- Develop AI governance — Write organizational AI policies covering acceptable use, risk management, data stewardship, and regulatory compliance
Syllabus
Impact
This course reflects a growing need in graduate business education to produce professionals who can lead AI adoption — not just understand it. By integrating technical literacy, strategic thinking, and responsible AI governance into a single course, students graduate prepared to drive real organizational change in an AI-first world.