HEALTH POLICY AND MANAGEMENT RESEARCH SOCIETAL IMPACT STRATEGIC PLAN | TEACHING AND LEARNING

Business education that bridges the AI application gap

October 27, 2025 ·

Contributed by: Izabela Shubair

Canadian businesses are struggling to leverage the country’s renowned artificial intelligence (AI) research ecosystem, which ranks second globally in top-tier researchers. Despite this world-class research capacity, only 12.2 per cent of businesses reported adopting AI to produce goods and deliver services as of mid-2025.

Globally, the gap is also evident. According to the C.D. Howe Institute, Canada ranked 20th among the 38 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries in AI adoption as of 2023, trailing most of its peers in integrating AI into business operations.

At the DeGroote School of Business, closing this adoption gap is central to training the next generation of AI leaders. The school has launched full- and part-time Master of Management in AI programs and is preparing to open its Data Analytics and AI Hub at the McLean Centre for Collaborative Discovery in 2026.

Together, these initiatives combine experiential learning, industry collaboration and applied research to equip students to implement AI responsibly and effectively in business settings. Associate professor of Health Policy and Management Manaf Zargoush is the faculty lead for the new Data Analytics and AI Hub at DeGroote’s McLean Centre for Collaborative Discovery. He says the concern about how to apply AI is critical.

“Our perspective on AI programming is unique because most existing initiatives concentrate heavily on the technical side, where Canada is already strong, rather than on the application side, which remains the fundamental challenge for Canadian businesses,” says Zargoush, whose research applies machine learning and large language models (LLMs) to complex decision-making challenges.

Programs that put AI into action

Building on this premise, DeGroote’s Master of Management programs offer two distinct pathways for leaders at different career stages.

The part-time Master of Management in Applied AI and Data-Driven Decision-Making enables working professionals to incorporate AI and analytics into managerial decision-making and lead data-driven teams without pausing their careers. The full-time Master of Management in AI and Analytics bridges data science and business strategy through advanced coursework and hands-on industry experience, preparing graduates to lead in data-driven organizations.

Both programs cultivate strategic leaders who can harness AI and analytics ethically and effectively in a rapidly changing global economy.

“Future leaders need to understand how AI works, what kind of biases it may carry and how to evaluate its recommendations with a healthy dose of scrutiny,” Zargoush says.

“The best leaders of tomorrow will bridge technical understanding with responsible application, blending creativity with critical oversight to guide AI-driven transformation responsibly.”

These educational outcomes are crucial when considering why so many Canadian organizations still hesitate to integrate AI into their operations.

Statistics Canada reports that among businesses not planning to adopt AI in the next 12 months, 78.1 per cent said it was not relevant to the goods or services they provide. Other reasons included a lack of knowledge about AI capabilities (11.3 per cent) and concerns about privacy and security (8.1 per cent).

Zargoush says this hesitancy reflects a deeper challenge: understanding how AI systems function and the risks they pose. Addressing these issues requires leaders with a strong grasp of responsible AI application—exactly what DeGroote’s programs aim to teach.

“The responsible use of AI, which includes being cautious about transparency, fairness, accountability and ethics, requires us to train leaders to be aware of the risks, the threats, and the issues—and how to address them.”

Advancing AI management beyond the classroom

DeGroote’s approach to responsible AI leadership extends beyond the classroom, giving students opportunities to apply their learning through collaboration with industry, researchers and emerging technologies.

Opening in 2026 on McMaster’s main Hamilton campus, the McLean Centre for Collaborative Discovery will play a central role in that vision. Designed to foster teamwork and innovation, the McLean Centre will bring together students, faculty, staff and community partners to solve complex problems and tackle challenges facing society.

It will house DeGroote’s new Data Analytics and AI Hub. Led by Zargoush as the inaugural faculty lead, the Hub will advance thought leadership in responsible AI through an experiential lens. Students will gain access to high-performance computing, real datasets and applied learning opportunities.

“AI requires data infrastructure, governance, and most importantly, human expertise and involvement to unlock the value we’re looking for,” says Zargoush. “By building an AI ecosystem at DeGroote, I believe the School can be a leader in addressing the biggest AI gap in the Canadian economy—responsible and effective application.”