Ashli Carter

Lecturer in the Discipline of Management in the Faculty of Business, Columbia Business School

As a lecturer at CBS, I teach a variety of students including full-time MBAs, executive (part-time) MBAs, and professionals visiting Columbia from all over the world for shorter periods of instruction within the non-degree granting Executive Education program. My teaching focuses primarily on topics that draw on social psychology within organizations including inspiring leadership, team collaboration, effective communication & negotiation, and continuous learning. Class sizes can range anywhere from a small Executive Education workshop of twenty-five C-suite-level executives to a large lecture of seventy-five MBA students in the Core. 

Hear more about Ashli Carter’s project in this video.

Course elements that evolved with the integration of AI

I utilize AI in the classroom to help students and professionals practice better teamwork, and as a tool for self-reflection. Through a series of classroom activities, students and professionals use text-to-image generative-AI to create art individually and in small teams. Sometimes that takes the form of small challenges where a team of three or four students are asked to reimagine an existing image utilizing AI within a limited timeframe, or I might ask students to work together to design an innovative new product through rapid prototyping. While learning to communicate with the platform, students report that they also learn to better communicate with one another and to approach their unique perspectives with openness. Observing teams during these activities, you get a sense of playfulness that is often lacking in the classroom. AI can also help students get curious about themselves. For example, in one activity, students use AI to illustrate their inner critic and inner champion. This reflective exercise creates an entry point for students to explore their mindsets and begin to shift their inner narratives when helpful.

Teaching students to leverage AI and develop their AI literacy

So much of what I do in the classroom involves extending an invitation for students to dig deeper and take risks when trying something new. Leveraging AI is no different. We all approach the technology from different starting points and perspectives. I encourage students to get curious about whatever comes up for them when engaging with AI—whether it be internal fears and frustrations, excitement, or limitations to the technology itself—and then to commit to taking one small step outside of their comfort zone. It’s not about knowing all the answers but instead taking an iterative approach and learning as we go. 

Lessons learned from teaching and learning with AI

Teaching with AI, I’ve learned that students are really at the forefront of this new technology, in terms of opportunities, challenges, and ethical concerns. My role has been to create space for students to learn from one another and to have conversations—often complex—around how we can use AI in ways that are generative and responsible.  

Advice for colleagues on leveraging AI for teaching and learning

My advice to instructors is to think critically about when and how AI can help facilitate learning outcomes, carefully design activities with this in mind, and then communicate your goals clearly in the classroom. Remember, AI is just one tool in your teaching toolkit! Lastly, I think students appreciate when we take calculated risks in our methods if they feel that we are truly invested in their growth and development—so get curious about your own hopes and hesitations, and then think about how you might stretch outside of your comfort zone with this goal in mind.