Competing in the Age of AI—Virtual
- Dates: 21 SEP–16 NOV 2023
- Format: Virtual Synchronous learning at designated live online session times.
- Fee: $6,250
The program fee covers tuition, e-books, and online case materials.
Application Due: 12 SEP 2023
This program includes live online classes, self-paced work, discussion groups, and virtual networking. Download brochure for detailed schedule.
Summary
Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the way today's businesses compete and operate. By putting AI and data at the center of their capabilities, companies are redefining how they create, capture, and share value—and are achieving impressive growth as a result. Whatever your industry or business model, you cannot afford to ignore this exciting, highly disruptive trend.
In this live online program, you will delve into new AI-based business models and operational approaches while exploring the possibilities of headline-grabbing tools like ChatGPT. As you explore a range of capabilities that can help your business succeed in today's data-driven environments, you will discover how you can lead your company's transformation into an AI-first leader. Along with learning how to unlock new growth potential, you will deepen your understanding of ethical challenges that come with leveraging massive amounts of data and sophisticated analytics.

This program is eligible for the Digital Transformation Certificate. Learn More
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Summary
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Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the way today's businesses compete and operate. By putting AI and data at the center of their capabilities, companies are redefining how they create, capture, and share value—and are achieving impressive growth as a result. Whatever your industry or business model, you cannot afford to ignore this exciting, highly disruptive trend.
In this live online program, you will delve into new AI-based business models and operational approaches while exploring the possibilities of headline-grabbing tools like ChatGPT. As you explore a range of capabilities that can help your business succeed in today's data-driven environments, you will discover how you can lead your company's transformation into an AI-first leader. Along with learning how to unlock new growth potential, you will deepen your understanding of ethical challenges that come with leveraging massive amounts of data and sophisticated analytics.
This program is eligible for the Digital Transformation Certificate. Learn More
DetailsExpand AllCollapse All
Move toward an AI-based business modelMove toward an AI-based business model
- Choose how best to apply AI in your industry and your business
- Redesign key components of your organization and operating model
- Lead the creation of algorithms, software infrastructure, data pipelines, and experimentation platforms
- Guide your organization in the development of sophisticated data platforms and artificial intelligence capabilities and enable higher levels of automation
- Ensure an ethical approach to AI and manage inherent risks
Create opportunities to build competitive advantageCreate opportunities to build competitive advantage
- Reimagine your company's value propositions to create new revenue streams
- Redesign organizational systems, processes, and roles to be AI driven
- Build the skills, capabilities, and culture to manage an AI-first operating model
- Recognize and benefit from network effects and learning effects
Expand your personal and professional networkExpand your personal and professional network
- Extend your network by connecting and working with accomplished executives from various backgrounds, industries, and countries around the globe
- Build relationships with a diverse group of peers who can provide wide-ranging insights into your business challenges and career decisions
Move toward an AI-based business model
- Choose how best to apply AI in your industry and your business
- Redesign key components of your organization and operating model
- Lead the creation of algorithms, software infrastructure, data pipelines, and experimentation platforms
- Guide your organization in the development of sophisticated data platforms and artificial intelligence capabilities and enable higher levels of automation
- Ensure an ethical approach to AI and manage inherent risks
Create opportunities to build competitive advantage
- Reimagine your company's value propositions to create new revenue streams
- Redesign organizational systems, processes, and roles to be AI driven
- Build the skills, capabilities, and culture to manage an AI-first operating model
- Recognize and benefit from network effects and learning effects
Expand your personal and professional network
- Extend your network by connecting and working with accomplished executives from various backgrounds, industries, and countries around the globe
- Build relationships with a diverse group of peers who can provide wide-ranging insights into your business challenges and career decisions
Who Should Attend
- Decision-makers, leaders, and individual contributors at both established companies and startups of any size, who are responsible for shaping their organization's AI, data analytics, or digital transformation strategy
- Business and technology leaders and contributors who want to understand how they can deploy the latest AI tools to unlock new sources of strategic and operating value
- Individuals in strategy-related roles including product management and development, digital and information technology operations, marketing, supply chain and operations, talent management, and more, who want to move toward an AI-first digital business and operating model
- Digital officers, technology officers, and individuals building and launching data science and analytics
Attend with a team from your organization to foster fruitful collaboration and amplify the program's impact on your company's AI capabilities. This program is a strong fit for AI teams who want to bring strategic and operational insights to the C-suite, as well as for cross-functional teams charged with driving digital transformation through AI and platforms. Together, teams will develop a common set of frameworks, tools, and examples to bring back to their organizations and drive an AI-first culture.

Program for Leadership Development participants earn 2 PLDA Points on completion of this program.
- Decision-makers, leaders, and individual contributors at both established companies and startups of any size, who are responsible for shaping their organization's AI, data analytics, or digital transformation strategy
- Business and technology leaders and contributors who want to understand how they can deploy the latest AI tools to unlock new sources of strategic and operating value
- Individuals in strategy-related roles including product management and development, digital and information technology operations, marketing, supply chain and operations, talent management, and more, who want to move toward an AI-first digital business and operating model
- Digital officers, technology officers, and individuals building and launching data science and analytics
Attend with a team from your organization to foster fruitful collaboration and amplify the program's impact on your company's AI capabilities. This program is a strong fit for AI teams who want to bring strategic and operational insights to the C-suite, as well as for cross-functional teams charged with driving digital transformation through AI and platforms. Together, teams will develop a common set of frameworks, tools, and examples to bring back to their organizations and drive an AI-first culture.

Program for Leadership Development participants earn 2 PLDA Points on completion of this program.
Leaders in Virtual Learning
When you participate in a virtual HBS Executive Education program, you benefit from a powerful learning experience carefully designed with a virtual setting in mind. Through live, synchronous program sessions you'll engage directly with our renowned faculty to learn from their latest research, gain actionable takeaways, and facilitate your growth. In addition, virtual discussion groups will connect you to a global group of peers and build your network.
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Leaders in Virtual Learning
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When you participate in a virtual HBS Executive Education program, you benefit from a powerful learning experience carefully designed with a virtual setting in mind. Through live, synchronous program sessions you'll engage directly with our renowned faculty to learn from their latest research, gain actionable takeaways, and facilitate your growth. In addition, virtual discussion groups will connect you to a global group of peers and build your network.
Admissions Criteria and Process
Answering Your Questions
Application Submission
Application Review
Fee, Payment, and Cancellations
Answering Your Questions
Application Submission
Application Review
Fee, Payment, and Cancellations
What You Will Learn
Through a rich experience that includes live online sessions with faculty, new case studies, self-paced learning, small-group discussions, and insights from experts, you will discover how artificial intelligence is transforming today's businesses—and how your business can benefit. These lessons feature all new material developed by the faculty, and focus on leading companies such as Ant Financial and Moderna. This online artificial intelligence course releases AI from the black box and provides a blueprint to help all businesses—from startups to long-established companies—compete successfully and thrive in the age of AI.
This program is based on the findings summarized in the groundbreaking and critically acclaimed book Competing in the Age of AI: Strategy and Leadership When Algorithms and Networks Run the World.
Program Format
Each week of the program includes one live online session (interactive case discussion, simulation, or expert panel) and three to five hours of self-paced learning and small-group discussions. Class sessions and discussions will take place via the Zoom platform. Carefully curated small groups of peers will facilitate learning, idea exchange, and networking throughout the course.
The program will also leverage an extensive network of analytics and AI mentors to help you contextualize and apply your learning. Collaborative learning is an integral part of this virtual experience. To maximize the benefit for everyone, participants are expected to attend every session, complete all assignments, and contribute effectively in the Zoom classroom and in small peer groups.
Participants should expect to spend at least 9-12 hours on self-paced case preparation prior to attending the program. Case materials will be made available approximately two weeks prior to program start.
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Program Format
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Each week of the program includes one live online session (interactive case discussion, simulation, or expert panel) and three to five hours of self-paced learning and small-group discussions. Class sessions and discussions will take place via the Zoom platform. Carefully curated small groups of peers will facilitate learning, idea exchange, and networking throughout the course.
The program will also leverage an extensive network of analytics and AI mentors to help you contextualize and apply your learning. Collaborative learning is an integral part of this virtual experience. To maximize the benefit for everyone, participants are expected to attend every session, complete all assignments, and contribute effectively in the Zoom classroom and in small peer groups.
Participants should expect to spend at least 9-12 hours on self-paced case preparation prior to attending the program. Case materials will be made available approximately two weeks prior to program start.
Key TopicsExpand AllCollapse All
The age of AIThe age of AI
- Tracing digitization of the economy and the (re)emergence of AI
- Understanding the impact of AI on business and operating models
- Developing a framework for driving business and industry transformation
- Evolving leadership in the era of AI
- Exploring surprising uses of AI today
Network effects and learning effectsNetwork effects and learning effects
- Overcoming the challenge of developing strategy in today's AI landscape
- Comparing AI-first firms to traditional product and/or service-based organizations
- Implementing powerful innovation frameworks
- Building network effects, using them to accelerate competitive advantage—and competing against them
- Taking full advantage of learning effects as you scale your operations
The AI factoryThe AI factory
- Developing a data pipeline to gather, clean, integrate, and safeguard data in a systematic, sustainable, and scalable way
- Developing algorithms
- Deploying personalization for maximum effectiveness
- Using predictive modeling to anticipate future states or actions of the business
- Testing hypotheses with an experimentation platform
- Ensuring that your infrastructure supports key processes and connects them to both internal and external users
The AI-first companyThe AI-first company
- Accruing the advantages of scale, scope, learning, and speed to innovate and go to market
- Understanding how companies with an AI factory core deliver significant value to customers
- Designing and implementing organizational and technological architectures needed to achieve success
- Navigating the inherent challenges of AI and capturing strategic opportunities
Ethics of AI and dataEthics of AI and data
- Building and scaling a responsible AI framework
- Ensuring privacy and cybersecurity
- Avoiding algorithmic bias
- Managing risks related to inclusiveness and transparency
Driving organizational transformation Driving organizational transformation
- Leading a new kind of digital transformation
- Assessing your organization's AI readiness and maturity
- Developing your AI-first Scorecard
- Rearchitecting your operating model
- Providing effective, unbiased service that protects consumers
- Intensifying the value of data
- Mitigating collisions between traditional and digital operating models
The age of AI
- Tracing digitization of the economy and the (re)emergence of AI
- Understanding the impact of AI on business and operating models
- Developing a framework for driving business and industry transformation
- Evolving leadership in the era of AI
- Exploring surprising uses of AI today
Network effects and learning effects
- Overcoming the challenge of developing strategy in today's AI landscape
- Comparing AI-first firms to traditional product and/or service-based organizations
- Implementing powerful innovation frameworks
- Building network effects, using them to accelerate competitive advantage—and competing against them
- Taking full advantage of learning effects as you scale your operations
The AI factory
- Developing a data pipeline to gather, clean, integrate, and safeguard data in a systematic, sustainable, and scalable way
- Developing algorithms
- Deploying personalization for maximum effectiveness
- Using predictive modeling to anticipate future states or actions of the business
- Testing hypotheses with an experimentation platform
- Ensuring that your infrastructure supports key processes and connects them to both internal and external users
The AI-first company
- Accruing the advantages of scale, scope, learning, and speed to innovate and go to market
- Understanding how companies with an AI factory core deliver significant value to customers
- Designing and implementing organizational and technological architectures needed to achieve success
- Navigating the inherent challenges of AI and capturing strategic opportunities
Ethics of AI and data
- Building and scaling a responsible AI framework
- Ensuring privacy and cybersecurity
- Avoiding algorithmic bias
- Managing risks related to inclusiveness and transparency
Driving organizational transformation
- Leading a new kind of digital transformation
- Assessing your organization's AI readiness and maturity
- Developing your AI-first Scorecard
- Rearchitecting your operating model
- Providing effective, unbiased service that protects consumers
- Intensifying the value of data
- Mitigating collisions between traditional and digital operating models
Special Program FeaturesExpand AllCollapse All
AI Application Deep DivesAI Application Deep Dives
AI Readiness SurveyAI Readiness Survey
AI Application Deep Dives
AI Readiness Survey
The HBS Advantage
Our Executive Education programs are developed and taught by HBS faculty who are widely recognized as skilled educators, groundbreaking researchers, and award-winning authors. Through their board memberships, consulting, and field-based research, they address the complex challenges facing business leaders across the globe.
Dorothy and Michael Hintze Professor of Business Administration
Jakurski Family Associate Professor of Business Administration
Assistant Professor of Business Administration Richard Hodgson Fellow
Postdoctoral Fellow, Laboratory for Innovation Science
Assistant Professor of Business Administration
Sicupira Family Associate Professor of Business Administration
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The HBS Advantage
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Our Executive Education programs are developed and taught by HBS faculty who are widely recognized as skilled educators, groundbreaking researchers, and award-winning authors. Through their board memberships, consulting, and field-based research, they address the complex challenges facing business leaders across the globe.
Faculty ChairDorothy and Michael Hintze Professor of Business Administration
HBS Unit:Technology and Operations ManagementFacultyJakurski Family Associate Professor of Business Administration
HBS Unit:MarketingAssistant Professor of Business Administration Richard Hodgson Fellow
HBS Unit:Technology and Operations ManagementHarvard University:Postdoctoral Fellow, Laboratory for Innovation Science
Assistant Professor of Business Administration
HBS Unit:Technology and Operations ManagementSicupira Family Associate Professor of Business Administration
HBS Unit:Technology and Operations Management
Your Peers Expand Your Learning
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Your Peers Expand Your Learning
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Global PerspectiveExperience the world in your classroom.Global PerspectiveExperience the world in your classroom.3%Africa11%Asia Pacific28%Europe8%Latin America4%Middle East46%North America3%Africa11%Asia Pacific28%Europe8%Latin America4%Middle East46%North AmericaTop Industries RepresentedInsights from a range of industries ignite your thinking.Insights from a range of industries ignite your thinking.24%Consumer Products16%Financial14%High Technology9%Professional Services4%Nonprofit Services4%Health Care3%Chem / Pharma / Bio3%Retail Services2%Real Estate / Construction2%ManufacturingTop Industries RepresentedInsights from a range of industries ignite your thinking.24%Consumer Products16%Financial14%High Technology9%Professional Services4%Nonprofit Services4%Health Care3%Chem / Pharma / Bio3%Retail Services2%Real Estate / Construction2%ManufacturingExperienceExperienceYears WorkedYears WorkedExperienceYears WorkedLess than 10 yearsLess than 10 years10-14 years10-14 years15-19 years15-19 years20-24 years20-24 years25-29 years25-29 years30-34 years30-34 years35-39 years35-39 years40 or more40 or moreLess than 10 yearsLess than 10 years10-14 years10-14 years15-19 years15-19 years20-24 years20-24 years25-29 years25-29 years30-34 years30-34 years35-39 years35-39 years40 or more40 or more