Maryland Today | Smith School Launches Center for Artificial…

The University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business has launched the Center for Artificial Intelligence in Business to conduct research and outreach to realize the potential of AI through intentional design and governance frameworks centering on human judgment and creativity.

The new center, working in conjunction with UMD’s new Artificial Intelligence Interdisciplinary Institute at Maryland (AIM), taps into the school’s research and significant faculty expertise in artificial intelligence, analytics and data science.

“Organizations are increasingly turning to AI to redefine processes and improve productivity, customer experience and decision making,” said Prabhudev Konana, dean of the Smith School. “Smith faculty are among the best thought leaders in this area. The center positions Smith to more effectively bring that expertise to businesses, policymakers and institutes, researchers, students and the broader community. ”

The center will partner with the business and policy community in AI and plans to host industry-focused conferences and events, including the annual AI Design and Governance Conference. Executive education offerings will help businesses navigate practical issues around AI design and implementation. Smith is also integrating AI into what students learn and works with industry partners to ensure content is up-to-date and relevant.

Addressing issues around ethics, bias and responsible use while helping businesses create short- and long-term value will be central to the center’s mission. In addition to intentional AI-enabled design and governance, the research conducted by the center will focus on developing AI algorithms to address problems faced by business, and to help businesses establish AI systems that respect the rule of law, follow ethical guidelines and operate within regulatory boundaries.

Its activities will aid policymakers in striking the right balance between meaningful support for transformative products and protection of fundamental rights.

Leading the center is Director Balaji Padmanabhan, Dean’s Professor of Decision, Operations and Information Technologies, aided by both an industry advisory board and faculty advisory board. The center was launched with seed funding from GRF CPAs and Advisors.