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335: How AI is Changing Academia with Dave Marchick, Dean of the Kogod School of Business

May 12, 2025

Dave Marchick, Dean of American University’s Kogod School of Business, shares his insights on integrating AI into academia. He discusses how students are learning to collaborate with AI from their first semester, transforming classroom dynamics. Marchick emphasizes the importance of communication, professionalism, and negotiation as essential skills for the future. He also addresses the cultural shifts needed among faculty for AI adoption and the evolving educational landscape that must adapt to maintain relevance in an AI-driven world.

41:58

Episode guests

David Marchick

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

The integration of AI in academia requires a cultural shift among faculty, transforming skepticism into acceptance for enhanced student learning.

Curricula are being redesigned to equip students with AI competency alongside critical soft skills like communication and negotiation for future success.

Deep dives

The Necessity of AI in Education

Future leaders must be proficient in AI as it's becoming an essential tool across various industries. Many academic institutions are grappling with this shift, with some still regarding AI as a form of cheating, which limits students' preparation for a tech-driven workforce. Embracing AI enables students to use it to enhance their work rather than seeing it as a hindrance to learning. This adaptation reflects a broader trend where students will inevitably need to utilize AI in their future careers.

Intro

4min

From Business to Academia: Embracing AI in Education

15min

The Evolving Importance of Skills in an AI-Driven Academic Landscape

3min

Revolutionizing Education with AI

8min

Rethinking Higher Education in an AI Era

6min

Navigating the Perils of Presidential Transitions

6min

Dave Marchick is the Dean of American University’s Kogod School of Business and a seasoned leader with experience across the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. He spent over a decade as Managing Director at The Carlyle Group, where he served on the management committee and advanced the firm’s sustainability and diversity efforts. In government, he held senior roles in both the Biden and Clinton administrations, including leadership positions at the State Department, the White House, and the Development Finance Corporation. Dave directed the Center for Presidential Transition during the 2020 cycle and later launched the Transition Lab podcast and co-authored The Peaceful Transition of Power. A dedicated advocate for civil rights and historical preservation, he has served on the boards of the Holocaust Memorial Museum and the National Park Foundation. Dave holds degrees from George Washington University, the LBJ School at UT Austin, and UC San Diego.

In this conversation, we discuss:

How Dean Dave Marchick is helping to infuse AI across the curriculum at American University’s Kogod School of Business.
The resistance and cultural shifts required to get faculty on board with AI adoption.
How students are learning to prompt, critique, and collaborate with AI from their first semester (and how it’s reshaping classroom dynamics).
Why professionalism, communication, and negotiation are now prioritized as “skills of the future”.
How Kogod is thinking about measuring the real-world impact of AI education beyond the classroom.
Lessons from U.S. presidential transitions and what they reveal about leadership during critical moments.

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