When Bahram Mahbod, MS in Tech Management Program Director, began exploring the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in business education with John Veitch, Dean, School of Business and Management, he knew exactly who to call: longtime colleague and friend John Youssefi. A respected computer science professor who retired in 2020 after 22 years of teaching at NDNU, Youssefi was the ideal partner to help shape the university’s AI future.
Their ongoing conversations sparked Youssefi’s return to NDNU two years ago to design and teach BUS-4620: Artificial Intelligence Primer—a course described as a “comprehensive yet accessible introduction to AI.” The class culminates in a project where students apply AI tools to solve real-world business problems, presenting their case studies to their peers.”
“Students seem to enjoy the class,” Youssefi shares. “Everyone is actively engaged in grasping the huge amount of material we cover.”
Building on the success of BUS-4620, NDNU is preparing to launch a companion course: BUS-4630: AI in Business—Designing a Chatbot for Customer Service. This eight-week, hands-on course will guide student teams through the process of strategizing, building, and deploying a no-code chatbot suitable for embedding on NDNU’s website.
Together, the two courses form a powerful sequence: first, building AI literacy and strategic judgment; then, applying those skills to design and implement a functional AI agent that serves a real need.
Youssefi emphasizes that while AI has existed since the mid-1950s, its current surge in relevance stems from its widespread impact across industries and disciplines.
“We’re now in the first of three levels of technological advancement,” he explains. “Today’s systems—like self-driving cars—can outperform humans at specific tasks, learning and correcting themselves along the way. As we move into the second and third levels, the technology will become even more complex and powerful. That’s why it’s critical to establish responsible guidelines now.”
He adds, “That’s the future, and it’s exciting to see NDNU embracing it with such urgency and vision.”
On a personal note, Youssefi has embraced AI in his own life as well. He recently used the technology to plan and manage logistics for a six-week trip across seven countries. And to the delight of one of his granddaughters, he transformed a one-page story she wrote into a full-fledged book—complete with personalized illustrations—using a ChatGPT-powered application.