AI for Business
Unlock transformative potential.
AI for Business Overview
Utilise AI to drive growth, innovation, and a competitive edge.
AI adoption is now widespread: McKinsey found that 71% of organisations regularly used generative AI in at least one business function in 2025, with its 2026 research showing that nearly nine in ten organisations now regularly use AI more broadly in at least one business function (McKinsey, 2025; 2026).
Used wisely, Generative AI has the potential to drive growth, nurture innovation and provide your organisation with a competitive edge.
Led by top educators from Melbourne Business School and the University of Melbourne, develop a deeper understanding of the fundamentals of AI to unlock innovative applications and address the associated risks.
At the completion of the program, you will be equipped to solve complex business problems using Generative AI, build working AI agents and create a practical deployment roadmap that aligns investment and execution with your broader business goals while supporting responsible use and long-term value.
Join our two-day program to discover the tools, and technologies to better harness the power of AI in your business.
4.9/5
The learning experience received an average score of 4.9 out of 5.
4.8/5
The usefulness of the learning received an average score of 4.8/5.
4.9/5
The program directors received an average rating of 4.9/5.
77 NPS
Net Promotor Score in 2025.
Who Should Attend the AI for Business Program
Senior Executives and Business Leaders
- Those responsible for driving innovation, strategy, and decision-making within their organisations.
Managers and Decision-Makers
- Managers and decision-makers in any industry and context looking to understand Generative AI’s potential, optimise business processes, and enhance data-driven decision-making within their teams.
- No technical background is required.
AI for Business Key Takeaways
The Possibilities of AI & Generative AI
- Understand the tools, technologies, and opportunities available for innovation and business growth.
Formulate a Business Strategy
- Design your own practical business strategy that integrates AI & Generative AI into your organisation’s broader goals.
- Maximise return on resources and leverage opportunities.
High Impact Use Cases
- Identify high-impact use cases from specific functions (e.g. marketing, HR) and make decisions about where to best deploy AI, relevant to your context.
Lead the Change
- Responsibly accelerate Generative AI adoption by enabling and empowering your people to be part of the transformation.
Responsible AI Use
- Be aware of the ethical considerations.
- Learn how to maintain regulatory compliance.
From Opportunity to Deployment
- Identify valuable AI opportunities, build working AI agents, assess risk-reward trade-offs, develop a compelling business case and create a practical deployment roadmap.
What is Generative AI?
Generative AI leverages existing artifacts to create new and realistic outputs at scale, including images, videos, music, speech, text, software code, and product designs.
Rapidly emerging as a general-purpose technology, its potential impact could rival that of the steam engine, electricity, and even the internet.
Individuals and enterprises continue to explore innovative applications for this technology - to automate processes, augment human or machine capabilities, and autonomously execute business and IT operations, leading to enhanced customer experiences and improved employee productivity. (Gartner, 2024)
Podcast: In Business with AI
In Business with AI is a podcast presented by Melbourne Business School that explores how artificial intelligence is reshaping business, leadership and the future of work.
Hosted by Dean Jenny George, each episode features conversations with AI experts and CEOs who are implementing AI in unique ways in their organisations. We unpack what’s working, what’s not working, and how leaders can navigate one of the biggest technological transformations of our time.
Listen NowAI for Business Topics Covered
The program provides impactful learning by leveraging participants' unique contexts.
Demystifying Data, Analytics, & Artificial Intelligence
Cracking the Code of AI
Generative AI
Generative AI in Action
RAGs & Fine-tuning
AI Safety & Governance
AI’s Future
Building an AI Strategy
Strengthen Your Organisation's Strategic Capabilities
Melbourne Business School’s short courses help organisations develop executive alignment through consistent and productive behaviours and capabilities.
This leader-led change will empower your team to tackle any future business challenges as a united force. Melbourne Business School’s short courses are designed to build the critical skills necessary for long-term success.
By enrolling small groups in the AI for Business program, your leaders can collaboratively explore transformative AI applications while gaining the insights needed to tackle emerging business challenges in a cohesive and strategic way.
For organisations enrolling multiple participants across our short courses within a 12-month period, tailored group pricing may be available. Talk to us about a customised version of this program tailored to suit your organisation's needs.
For companies to fully realise their AI ambitions, we need leaders who are well-versed in both the transformative opportunities and potential challenges of this fast-evolving technology. This program will not only help provide clarity but also inspire you to unlock its full potential.
YALÇIN AKÇAY
Program Director and Professor of Operations
When leaders go beyond the hype and get under the hood of Generative AI, they’ll be better positioned to protect their business and find sophisticated ways to secure a strategic advantage.
UJWAL KAYANDE
Program Director and Professor of Marketing
AI for Business Facilitators
Yalçın Akçay
PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Yalçın is a Professor of Operations Management at Melbourne Business School. He holds a dual-title PhD degree in Business Administration and Operations Research from Pennsylvania State University. Yalçın’s research focuses on revenue management, dynamic pricing, inventory management, retail operations, stochastic modelling of service and manufacturing systems.
Ujwal Kayande
PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Ujwal is a Professor at Melbourne Business School. He has a PhD in Quantitative Marketing from the University of Alberta, as well as an MBA and Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Electronics. His research focuses on measurement and understanding market phenomena, including consumer decision making, firm actions, and competitive interactions between firms. He currently serves as an Advisor to consumer goods, data-management, AI companies and start-ups across the globe.
Jeannie Paterson
PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Jeannie is a Professor of Law and the Director of the Centre for AI and Digital Ethics at the University of Melbourne. Jeannie’s teaching and research focuses on consumer and data protection law in the context of emerging digital technologies, including issues of fairness, privacy, transparency, security and existential risk in the emergence of AI. Jeannie has a track record of consultation and collaboration with government, industry, regulators and community legal centres, as well as being a regular media commentator.
Institute for Digital Innovation & AI
Melbourne Business School is a national leader in business analytics and AI.
The Institute for Digital Innovation and AI (IDIA) at Melbourne Business School is a national leader in business analytics and AI. IDIA brings together researchers, industry partners, and students to advance data-driven decision making and support organisations in applying analytics and AI for impact.
Learn moreUpcoming Sessions
This is a non-residential program. The program fee covers tuition, AI-readiness self-assessment; AI-enabled tools and exercises; Community of Practice access; and one-month AI-platform licence, alongside materials, lunch, refreshments and GST.
If you are travelling from interstate or internationally, we recommend participants stay either on-site at Melbourne Business School (based on availability), or we can recommend a variety of partnering hotels who can offer our guests special corporate rates. Please contact us for more information.
Read our full terms and conditions and other frequently asked questions for more information.
AI and Data Programs Comparison Table
| Program | Leading Strategically with AI (Online) | Leading Strategically with AI (Face-to-Face Intensive) | AI for Business | Data and AI for Decision Making |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level | Senior Executives, Business Leaders, Leadership Teams | Senior Executives, Business Leaders, Managers and Decision Makers | Senior Executives, Business Leaders, Middle to Senior leaders and decision makers | |
| What is it about? | Senior Leaders charged with developing AI strategy | Leaders seeking a practical introduction to AI and Generative AI. | Leaders who want to use data, analytics and AI to strengthen judgement, make better decisions and create organisational value. | |
| Who is it for? | Senior Leaders, Business Leaders and Leadership teams (sector agnostic) | Leaders at all levels seeking a practical introduction to AI and Generative AI. | Senior Leaders, Business Leaders, Department Heads, Strategy and Innovation officers and Professionals able to influence change. | |
| Duration | 5 weeks | 3 days (non-residential) | 2 days (non-residential) | 2 days (non-residential) |
|
Mode (Location) |
Online (Virtual) | In person, Melbourne Business School | In person, Melbourne Business School | In person, Melbourne Business School |
| Program Structure | Weekly 90-minute facilitated sessions over 5 weeks, including pre-program AI diagnostic, practical assessments, Community of Practice access and post-program reconnect. | Three-day intensive program covering all core modules, including pre-program AI diagnostic, Community of Practice access and post-program reconnect. | Two-day immersive short course combining expert facilitation, practical demonstrations, case studies and hands-on exploration of AI tools and applications. | Two-day intensive program following the analytics journey from description to prescription. Combines cases, evidence, executive discussion, prompting practice and the design and testing of a custom AI agent. |
| Fees 2027 pricing |
AUD$2,950 per person (inc. GST) |
AUD$5,500 per person (inc. GST) |
AUD$3,950 per person (inc. GST) |
AUD$3,950 per person (inc. GST) |
| Focus | Enterprise AI strategy, governance, investment decisions and organisational transformation. | Understanding AI, Generative AI and automation to identify opportunities, build business cases and successfully implement AI. | Decision-first use of data, analytics and AI; evidence quality; human judgement; AI deployment choices; responsible use; and moving from efficiency to transformation. | |
| Topics |
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| Practical Outputs |
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| Learning Experience | Flexible learning with application between sessions. | Immersive executive learning with intensive peer interaction. | Hands-on applied learning focused on AI tools, technologies and business applications. | Applied learning combining plain-language explanation, business cases, benchmark evidence, prompting practice and hands-on AI agent design. |
| Inclusions |
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| Key Takeaway | Lead enterprise-wide AI transformation with a practical AI strategy portfolio. | Understand AI and Generative AI well enough to identify opportunities, manage risks and create business value. | Make stronger decisions by combining data, analytics, AI and human judgement and shape a responsible path from efficiency to organisational advantage. | |
| Dates |
12 Oct - 15 Nov 2026 2027 TBC |
27 - 29 October 2026 2027 TBC |
9-10 September 2026 25-26 November 2026 10-11 March 2027 14-15 April 2027 16-17 June 2027 8-9 September 2027 10-11 November 2027 |
TBC |
| Enrolment | Leading Strategically with AI | AI for Business | Data and AI for Decision Making | |
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