Why Understanding AI Matters—Even in Entry-Level Business Roles
By now, artificial intelligence (AI) is inextricably woven into the fabric of everyday life, shaping how people live, work, and do business.
Applying AI in business roles is increasingly common—even in fields like customer service, operations, and marketing. In fact, 78% of organizations reported using AI in 2025, up from just 55% the year before, according to the most recent AI Index Report. That’s why many students are choosing programs like the Associate Degree in Business Administration with an Applied AI Concentration at Campus to gain the skills today’s employers are looking for.
The expansion of artificial intelligence, even in entry-level business roles, is why AI awareness is essential for today’s business students. Read on for more.
Why Business Students Need AI Skills
AI is fundamentally changing how businesses operate, compete, and innovate. For business students, learning how to work with AI is no longer optional—it’s a must.
Here’s why building AI skills is key to success in today’s business world.
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Competitive Advantage in the Job Market
A 2023 GMAC Corporate Recruiters Survey found that 74% of employers consider AI and machine learning essential skills for business graduates. Students who understand these tools are more likely to stand out in a competitive job market.
Enhanced Decision-Making and Business Intelligence
Skills in AI allow students to automate reporting, use predictive analytics, and swiftly make data-driven decisions, which is essential in today’s fast-paced business world. After all, AI analyzes vast datasets and uncovers trends more quickly and accurately than traditional methods.
Practical Applications Across Business Functions
AI is transforming core business areas including operations, finance, marketing, and human resources. As such, familiarity with tools like Salesforce Einstein, ChatGPT, Power BI, and Tableau is essential, as they equip students to optimize workflows and improve operational efficiency.
Innovation and Problem Solving
With AI, business students develop advanced problem-solving skills. They learn
to approach challenges with innovation thinking and data-driven methodologies. Employers expect graduates to grasp how to use AI as a tool for creating value and solving business problems.
Where AI Is Making the Biggest Impact
AI has expanded to have a transformative impact on areas such as service, operations, and marketing, making AI awareness critical for business students. In turn, AI is affecting efficiency, personalization, and business growth.
Customer Service
In customer service, for example, AI-powered virtual assistants and chatbots provide 24/7 support, handling large volumes of inquiries simultaneously. This automation of inquiries and tasks can lead to big cost savings, enables faster and more efficient service, and allows agents to focus on complex issues.
AI can also improve satisfaction and loyalty by analyzing customer preferences and history, and can detect customer sentiment in real time, eliciting empathetic responses.
Operations
And look at AI’s role in operations. The technology optimizes workflows by spotting inefficiencies, suggesting improvements, and enabling faster resolutions through intelligent call routing. It also analyzes large volumes of operational data to reveal trends and other insights and can provide multilingual support.
Marketing
Here, AI enables highly targeted marketing campaigns by segmenting customers based on preferences and behavior. It also produces product and content recommendations, which can improve engagement and conversion rates by personalizing offers to individual customers.
AI-powered personalization can also boost marketing ROI by between 10-30%, and the technology can monitor social media and customer data to spot emerging trends.
AI in Small Businesses vs. Corporate Settings
Increasingly, AI is being adopted by small businesses as well as corporations, changing how organizations function, interact with customers, and make decisions. That is why business students must be aware of AI’s increasing role.
Key small-business applications include automation of repetitive tasks, customer service chatbots and virtual assistants, and AI-powered CRM in marketing and sales. Applications also include data analysis, automation in accounting and finance, and AI-driven tools in recruitment and HR.
These tools can increase efficiency, improve decision-making, and unlock new growth opportunities for small businesses.
In larger companies, artificial intelligence is often used for:
Advanced predictive analytics. This is for complex forecasting, risk management, and supply chain optimization.
Enterprise resource planning. Automating workflows and integrating data across departments enhances ERP systems.
Personalized marketing at scale. The technology is used to deliver targeted campaigns across global markets.
Robust security. AI-powered cyber security tools uncover threats in real time and respond to incidents.
How Business Students Can Build AI Literacy
There are ways students can begin boosting their knowledge of AI and how it’s used in the business world. For example, they can use generative AI tools for tasks such as note taking and lecture summaries in early courses, followed later by advanced tools like Copilot and Power BI for business data analysis.
Students can also participate in projects, simulations, and case studies that need AI tools to solve real-world business problems. In addition, they can create AI-powered business products or develop basic AI models to grasp the technology’s potential as well as its limitations.
Other ways to improve literacy include learning how to critically assess AI-generated content, and participating in discussions and debates on AI ethics and the technology’s effect on business and society. Further, students should engage with professional development communities and resources that are focused on AI in business.
Students should also explore extracurricular and self-directed learning—such as free AI modules, webinars, or StudentLingo workshops—to supplement their coursework. In addition, students can enhance knowledge through certifications, which also can demonstrate AI skills to prospective employers, and by using AI tools in business internships.
Campus, Business Administration, and AI
At Campus, you can earn an Associate Degree in Business Administration with an Applied AI Concentration in just two years. The program combines foundational business studies with hands-on learning in AI tools to help students develop practical skills that are in demand in today's business world.
Whether you’re new to tech or looking to expand your business expertise, this program is structured to support students from all backgrounds. By the time you graduate, you’ll have experience using real-world AI applications in areas like marketing, operations, and customer service.
Interested in building your AI skill set? Apply to Campus and start your journey toward a future-focused business education.