1. Write on your own where/how you think AI is currently being used, or might be used in the near future in your field, whether academically while studying or in the workplace

AI is being used in all professions and all educations. AI is now being used in project advancement in generating new ideas and plans with timelines and future targets. Education wise, people are using it in research and studying as well, students are using it in every single assignment and projects for inspiration on what to do. My career path hopefully is towards consulting. As proven from the people that I know who work in this field they are depending on AI heavily as it adjusts for them all the final PowerPoint plans for big companies. Adding on all the cost benefit analysis and forecasting’s are supported by AI. The planning and analysis for all the decision making done by consultants are aided by AI. AI is moving towards concurring the workforce in consultancy and is also causing a problem because it’s taking on a lot of work that employees are doing so cutoffs are occurring. So, looking 10 years forward I believe that AI would do more in the consultancy field maybe it will cancel this filed as business will direct the problems to AI and they will automatically solve the issues without any costs.

2. Use one of the AI tools to see what it will suggest are ways AI will be used in your field

Current Uses of AI:

1. Data Analysis and Research: AI tools are already being employed in data analysis to help researchers sift through massive datasets, uncover patterns, and generate insights at unprecedented speeds. For instance, machine learning algorithms can identify trends in consumer behavior, helping businesses make data-driven decisions.
2. Content Creation: Natural language processing (NLP) technologies are assisting in the creation of content, from reports to marketing materials. AI can draft initial versions of documents, generate summaries, and even help with editing by suggesting improvements based on common writing standards.
3. Personalized Learning: In academic settings, AI is being used to tailor educational experiences. Intelligent tutoring systems can adapt to individual learning styles and paces, offering personalized recommendations for resources or practice activities, which can enhance student engagement and understanding.
4. Automation of Repetitive Tasks: In workplaces, AI is increasingly handling mundane tasks like scheduling meetings, managing emails, and data entry. This allows employees to focus on higher-value activities that require creativity and critical thinking.

Future Applications of AI:

1. Enhanced Decision-Making: I foresee AI tools becoming even more sophisticated in supporting decision-making processes. For example, predictive analytics powered by AI could assess market trends and consumer data, providing businesses with forecasts that can drive strategic planning and product development.
2. Virtual Collaboration and Communication: As remote work becomes more prevalent, AI-powered virtual assistants could facilitate smoother collaboration across teams. They might manage calendars, coordinate meetings across time zones, or even analyze team dynamics to suggest the best collaboration practices.
3. Advanced Research Tools: The future might see AI developing advanced research capabilities, such as the ability to conduct systematic literature reviews by autonomously scanning academic databases, summarizing findings, and highlighting gaps in existing research that need to be addressed.
4. Mental Health and Wellbeing: AI could play a significant role in supporting mental health initiatives in both academic settings and workplaces. Chatbots and virtual therapists could provide preliminary support, monitor mood shifts through various data inputs, and recommend resources or interventions accordingly.
5. Creative Applications: AI’s role in creative industries will likely expand, with tools that can assist in graphic design, music composition, video editing, and even game design. Collaborations between human creators and AI could lead to entirely new forms of artistic expression.
6. Interview a professor at AUC about this – you can ask them about both academic and professional uses. You can take permission to record the interview in audio and put the recording on your blog, with a summary of your key findings. Or you can take notes. Maybe take a photo with the professor as well.

Professor: Mohamed bassiouny

Questions asked:

1. How is AI currently being utilized in your classes? Examples.
2. What potential future applications of AI do you foresee that could significantly benefit your classes or teaching ?
3. How do you think AI will influence the educational curriculum in your department, and how should students be prepared to engage with it?
4. How has AI impacted your own research or teaching methodologies?
5. What skills do you believe will be essential for professionals in your department as AI technology continues to evolve?
6. How do you envision the role of AI developing in your field over the next 5 to 10 years?

Summary:

When listening to the responses of the doctor he mentioned that “I was a firm opposer of AI in general, I’m a bit of an old school person and don’t like the implementation of it.” But recently two years ago I started advising my students to use AI with citations and resources to support its use. “I like how it helps them generate ideas and makes their time more efficient but what’s most important that it does not eliminate their way of thinking, and this is when danger comes in place.” The interviewer believes that AI is being widely used more and more especially when calculating and analyzing number because this is what they learn in their courses, but he believes without knowing the basics of the implementation of tools like profit and loss, balance sheet and forecasting. I believe that when we understand these basics then calculations would be easier done in AI later in workforce less hands will be needed which makes time more efficient. In the accounting curriculum less, AI is implemented then other departments because we aim to focus on understanding the concepts more with lower aid. When asked on a personal level how AI impacted his journey he talked in an international exposure and teaching workshops on how everything has become more AI related and influenced to be used and he related back to the same feeling when the internet was introduced for him, knowing it’s a very important shift in his career and that things wouldn’t be the same afterword’s. He believes also that AI would eliminate a lot of working roles in the accounting department, because calculations are already done easily with formulas that are implemented, but what would never change is the analysis and strategies that would be implemented AI would never do the depth of what humans do until now, “or at least in the upcoming 10 years.”

4. Interview a person in the profession that you know – an older sibling, family friend, etc. If you cannot think of someone you know, you could interview an additional professor who works a lot in the field (some part-time professors are like that) or interview someone from the career center. Again, you can audio-record or take notes, and provide a summary.

My manager at Mars: Habiba Quraishi  

Questions asked:

1. How do you see AI being integrated into our financial planning and analysis processes at Mars in the next few years?
2. In what specific areas of financial analysis do you believe AI has the potential to improve efficiency and accuracy?
3. As AI takes on more data-driven tasks, what skills do you think our team should develop to enhance our value in the organization?
4. How do you perceive the role of AI in supporting or enhancing decision-making within our financial planning team?
5. Do you foresee any significant changes in mars structure or roles within our team due to the adoption of AI technologies?

When interviewed with my manager what was noticed that AI is not used at all in the financing department, they fully depend on the input of humans with regular excel inputs. When asked more of the integration of AI they started automating excel sheets being tools that everyone can use, but still yet no full AI implementation is used. When it comes to period closing and checking our number then AI can be in handy when calculating the categories of the numbers each month, then the human error implied would be less. Habiba stressed on the importance of “AI training sessions and its importance in implementation in work because it will speed up everything and would generate new ideas for the teams, also we need to start adapting with the trend and how our competitors are moving then we would always have an edge in our strategies and implications. “I believe that other departments are now moving towards the direction of AI, and you are part of the program called talent tech as we want to make new innovative inputs in the mars family.” There are changes that are occurring day by day with the implementation of AI tools seen in other departments and “we the finance team or working on it now, and mainly what you Jana are doing is part of our implementation plan on focusing on the new trends.” What is aimed to be automated later is the number forecasting in products needed in each market and period closing this is our aim for improvements.

5. Provide your reflection: were you surprised? What about your findings excite or scare you? Are you feeling anything else? What do you think you need to be doing right now about what you’ve just learned?

When reflecting on these interviews and researches done, the answers for mainly the interview done at work was shocking I didn’t believe that they still aren’t implementing AI rhythms to make their life easier when it comes to numbers, how come a very huge corporation like Mars still doesn’t fully use AI in their day to day work, I believe it can make things much easier and this is what I’m currently doing at work, I’m part of a program called talent tech which basically makes digital inputs easier in the teams. On the opposite side I didn’t like how doctors are being fully open to the use of AI as this would increase the risk of plagiarism and removing the identity of ones thought. Also, students are becoming so independent on AI creating lazy values for them and effecting workforces in the longer run. I just don’t still like how AI is being normalized as I believe in some stages AI shouldn’t still be used. Even though I still don’t believe in the inputs of AI and believe that human impact are important I need to still adapt to the changes and move with the trends because in the upcoming 20 years I believe that no one can’t live without using these AI tools.