How Wharton Professor Develops Students' Entrepreneurial Skills with Gen AI

In a rapidly evolving world where technology intersects with education, Wharton Business School stands at the forefront of integrating generative artificial intelligence (AI) into its curriculum. We sat down with Serguei Netessine, Senior Vice Dean of Innovation and Global Initiatives at Wharton, to discuss his journey, insights, and the revolutionary role of generative AI in teaching entrepreneurship.

From Russia to Wharton: A Journey of Passion and Innovation

Dmitry Maslennikov (DM): Thank you for agreeing to this interview. Could you start by telling us about your background and how you became a professor at Wharton?

Sergey Netessine (SN): Certainly. I began my academic journey in Russia, where I developed an interest in business education. I learned about Ph.D. programs in business, which eventually led me to the United States. I pursued a Ph.D. in operational management, given my background with Lucent Technologies. After completing my Ph.D., I navigated the academic job market, which involved attending conferences, presenting research, and securing interviews.

Ultimately, I received multiple offers, with Wharton being the standout choice. I joined Wharton in 2001 and later spent some years teaching at INSEAD in France and Singapore before returning to Wharton in 2017. Currently, I hold a professor’s position and I also serve as the Senior Vice Dean of Innovation and Global Initiatives.

DM: You have quite a unique path, blending academia and entrepreneurship. How did your transition into the entrepreneurial side of academia happen?

SN: My journey into entrepreneurship was somewhat serendipitous. Initially, I focused on supply chain management and productivity in my research and teaching. One of my MBA students, Marc Lore, was building a company called Diapers.com and sought my advice. Initially, I was skeptical, but he later sold the company to Amazon for $600 million. This success story piqued my interest in startups and venture capital.

Marc’s subsequent ventures, including Jet.com, which was sold to Walmart, and his latest company, Wonder, further motivated me. His entrepreneurial journey inspired me to invest more and more in startups and refocus my teaching on innovation.

Generative AI: Transforming Entrepreneurship Education

DM: Let’s shift to a trending topic—generative AI. How has it impacted your teaching, and what are your general thoughts on its integration into education?

SN: Generative AI has dramatically transformed the landscape of entrepreneurship education. Initially, my innovation courses relied minimally on software, focusing on idea generation and startup development. However, the advent of generative AI in late 2022 revolutionized this approach.

By August 2023, I integrated tools like ChatGPT and MidJourney into my MBA classes. Generative AI enhances idea generation, visual content creation, product-market fit analysis, and business model development. It also aids in preparing a better pitch deck and conducting comprehensive research. I encourage students to leverage generative AI to improve their projects significantly.

DM: How do you address the concerns of skeptics who believe generative AI might hinder creativity and entrepreneurship skills?

SN: The synergy between human creativity and generative AI produces the best outcomes. Academic studies have shown that entrepreneurs who collaborate with generative AI generate more innovative and exceptional ideas. While AI can generate numerous ideas, true outliers—those groundbreaking concepts—often emerge from the blend of AI’s knowledge and human creativity.

In my experience, students using generative AI demonstrate superior idea quality, better-prepared pitches, and more polished presentations. Therefore, I advocate for embracing generative AI to enhance productivity and creativity in entrepreneurship education.

DM: As the founder of PitchBob.io, I’m thrilled that you’ve integrated our white-label tool into your teaching. Can you share what led you to become an advisor for PitchBob and your experience using it with students?

SN: When generative AI tools emerged, I explored ways to assist students better. I aimed to create a specialized AI tool for innovation-focused tasks. Upon discovering PitchBob, I realized it was a well-developed tool, encompassing all the necessary steps for entrepreneurship, from idea generation to pitch preparation.

PitchBob’s structured approach and extensive functionality impressed me. It streamlined the entrepreneurial process, allowing students to see tangible outputs quickly. I’ve used PitchBob with various student groups, including high school children and Executive MBA students, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. It’s an effective tool for demonstrating the

The Future of Generative AI in Education

DM: Looking ahead, how do you foresee generative AI influencing entrepreneurship education and possibly other academic fields?

SN: Wharton recently announced a major initiative to integrate generative AI comprehensively. We’re launching AI-focused majors and minors, research centers, and industry collaborations. This all-in approach sets us apart as a leader in AI-driven business education.

Other academic fields may face challenges, particularly those reliant on traditional assessment methods. However, we believe in adapting our teaching methods to incorporate generative AI, enhancing productivity and learning outcomes. Just as calculators revolutionized mathematics education, generative AI will redefine how we teach and evaluate students.

DM: Any advice for educators on integrating generative AI into their teaching practices?

SN: Embrace the change and leverage generative AI to enhance your teaching. It’s essential to adapt and prepare students for real-world scenarios where AI will play a significant role. Avoid resisting technological advancements and focus on how AI can improve learning experiences and outcomes. By doing so, we can better equip students for the future.

DM: Thank you for your insights, Serguei. This has been an enlightening and inspiring conversation.

SN: Thank you. It was a pleasure discussing these topics!