Artificial Intelligence

AI is proving to be a valuable learning and business partner in the classroom.

At Iona, students are using various tools to develop full-blown business plans, which include strategic, marketing, financial, and operational components. Additionally, students interact with AI chatbots to practice negotiation skills and techniques through simulations which can range from labor disputes to high-stakes situations. This gives them a safe environment to experiment with communication strategies, analyze outcomes, and reflect on how to improve.

In the world of accounting, students practice generating solutions with and without AI, and then conduct comparative analyses. This helps students gain insights on AI’s role in problem-solving and its implications for accounting practices.

Regardless of the subject matter, students learn to evaluate AI-generated responses, cite inputs, and ensure the final work reflects their own thinking. 

Iona University’s Education programs embrace artificial intelligence as a tool to strengthen—rather than replace—the human work of teaching. Across courses such as EDU 384, EDU 862, and EDU 721, students use AI to simulate instructional conversations, interrogate educational ideas, and analyze complex issues, all while sharpening professional judgment, reflective practice, and ethical decision-making. In Math Education, students are exploring AI-supported tutoring designed to recognize both academic needs and emotional barriers like math anxiety. Together, these experiences reflect Iona EDU’s commitment to preparing educators who are technologically fluent, critically minded, and deeply attuned to the relational, human dimensions of learning. 

At the Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, students are encouraged to experiment with AI in a variety of ways, but it never replaces their own reasoning. Rather, it serves as a tool that helps students think more deeply and gives them room to experiment and improve upon their ideas.

Whether they are brainstorming new projects, refining pitches, simulating customer interviews or building business prototypes, careful consideration is given to how students use AI so that it is done in a collaborative and ethical fashion.  

AI is proving to be an effective partner in entrepreneurship; the field essentially seeks to address real problems in the world. Sometimes, the most constructive way to identify what people need is through person-to-person conversation. While AI technology can prove vital in bringing a new idea to life, students at Iona also learn how to identify when traditional methods will bring the most value to a project. 

Professors in the STEM fields recognize that AI tools can be a crucial resource for students in their programs.

Chemistry students are guided to use AI as their assistant in developing a rigorous scientific review process. This allows students to further refine their own critical thinking process while deepening their understanding of chemistry, scientific communication and academic integrity.

Math majors in the Capstone Seminar course are similarly encouraged to use AI to better prepare for their roles as discussion leaders. AI tools enable students to get timely assistance with challenging material, build a stronger foundation on background concepts, and to help in making an outline for organizing the discussion they will lead.

In both instances, students are reminded that AI is only the starting point, and that they are responsible for their work. All information gleaned from AI needs to be fact checked and cited appropriately, and students must be prepared to demonstrate a thorough understanding of their work.