AI in Business and Finance: From Data to Strategy

Tuesday focused on the intersection of AI, finance, and marketing. The morning began with “AI in Business and Finance” presented by Dr. Daniel Spar. Students explored how predictive analytics and customer behavior modeling help businesses forecast trends, from stock price movements to consumer preferences.

Mr. Eric Rosenstein followed with “AI in Business Operations and Strategy,” explaining how machine learning tools help organizations optimize operations, improve decision-making, and better understand their customers. Through engaging examples, students learned how AI streamlines processes from logistics to retail analytics.

Later in the morning, Mr. Will Marlow led “AI and Digital Marketing Trends,” showing interns how companies leverage AI for hyper-targeted advertising, automated content creation, and personalized product recommendations. This session inspired thoughtful conversations about how digital footprints shape consumer experiences.

The afternoon shifted into hands-on learning with Lab 2: Building a Basic Chatbot. Interns worked in teams to design and program simple AI-powered chatbots using natural language processing tools. They explored how chatbots are used in industries like retail, healthcare, and customer service to improve responsiveness, reduce workload, and create more personalized user experiences. Many students chose to build their chatbots around their business partner’s needs, designing interactive tools that could answer FAQs, guide users through a product selection process, or provide information about services. Through this lab, interns not only gained practical coding skills, but also learned to think critically about how AI solutions can be customized to support small businesses.

In the evening, interns participated in AI Business Partner Meeting 2, working with partners like Candy Schibli of Southeastern Roastery and Nikki Hendricks of Nikki Hendricks Designs LLC. These meetings allowed teams to test their ideas, gather feedback, and refine their solutions. After the business partner meetings, students enjoyed a group dinner and took time to explore the Georgetown campus and surrounding area, ending the day with community and reflection.