Professors Team Up To Publish AI Business E-TextBook
Miami Dade College has been a national leader in AI education.
They were the first institution in Florida to launch associate’s and bachelor’s degrees in Applied Artificial Intelligence. In October, MDC spearheaded a consortium of community colleges to help other institutions develop AI programs.
Now business professors Allison Hudson (North) and Veronica Ramsundar (Hialeah Campus) have published an e-textbook on the impact of AI in business.
“We are at the forefront in terms of providing [our students] with information and knowledge that is going to shape their future immediately,” Ramsundar said. “[Students] are not going to be lacking in terms of the knowledge that it brings to the workplace; they are going to be informed about how AI is being used in their particular field.”
The book, The Impact of AI in Business, was published on Aug. 26 in partnership with McGraw Hill Education and will be used in the College’s Applied AI in Business course (GEB 1432).
With an interactive interface, including several external links to articles and videos, the book keeps things simple.
It begins with the fundamentals of AI and explains how the emerging technology is being used in the business and finance industries. Then, it dives into the ethics of AI with case studies.
“I feel like no one is spared when it comes to AI,” Ramsundar said. “[It] has infused and impacted every aspect of our lives and as the technology advances, the impact is going to grow with that.”
Hudson and Ramsundar met in 2007 while working at St. Thomas University. Eleven years later, they crossed paths at Miami Dade College.
They eventually decided to partner up. In 2021, the duo helped develop the College’s Applied AI in Business course, which launched in 2022.
Last fall, the idea to write a book for the class was proposed to them by a McGraw Hill Learning Technology representative.
The pair began writing in January and chose an e-textbook format so they could easily update it as AI continues to rapidly advance. They spent weekends writing and “wrote every single sentence together.”
“I want to be able to look back and say, ‘I helped change students’ lives in education,’” Hudson said.
The professors aim to close the AI literacy gap among underrepresented communities. They will continue updating the first edition and are designing AI awareness workshops for Rising Scholars at North and Hialeah campuses.
“I wish I could say it was a dream come true, but honestly, I never dreamed that big for myself,” Hudson said about writing the book. “The opportunity came knocking and I said, ‘You know what? Why not?’”
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