Strategic Leadership in the Age of Generative and Agentic AI
Identify AI Opportunities and Drive Measurable Returns
Program Overview
The Strategic Leadership in the Age of Generative and Agentic AI certificate program prepares you to translate advanced AI technologies into real business value while keeping human judgment at the center. Over 7–8 months, you will build AI literacy, identify high-value use cases, and design workflows and governance frameworks that drive measurable results. A core feature of the program is the AI Acceleration Project embedded in every course, giving you structured, hands-on practice applying classroom learning to real business scenarios. By the end of this program, you will gain the frameworks and skills to guide ethical, scalable AI adoption and lead transformative business outcomes.
What You Will Learn
Evaluate foundational AI concepts, capabilities, and risks in the Program
Identify high-value AI initiatives and estimate ROI
Leverage generative and agentic AI to improve or redesign business models
Design custom LLMs and agentic workflows that automate real business tasks
Build and lead hybrid human–AI teams
Across five AI Acceleration Projects, you’ll move from identifying opportunities to designing workflows, planning transformation, and building governance
Curriculum
What is AI, why does it matter, and how do you use it to create value? A foundational introduction to how AI works, why it has accelerated in recent years, and where it is headed next. Areas covered include:
Core AI language, approaches, and fundamentals
Data and decision-making in the age of AI
Major use cases and industry trends
Estimating value and identifying viable AI projects
Final two weeks: AI Acceleration Project applied to your business context, with expert feedback. Assess your organization’s AI readiness, identify high-value opportunities, and prioritize them based on feasibility and impact.
How can AI transform your business model and operations? Explore how generative and agentic AI are reshaping processes, revenue models, and organizational workflows across functions such as customer experience, operations, and workforce productivity.
Productivity, efficiency, and automation
Personalized experiences for customers and employees
Enhanced decision-making and operational improvements
Final two weeks: AI Acceleration Project focused on a real organizational use case. Build a business case for a generative or agentic AI initiative that can measurably grow revenue or reduce costs.
How do you practically adopt, customize, and deploy AI? A hands-on exploration of LLMs, enterprise customization, governance, and workflow design.
RAG, fine-tuning, preference tuning, and enterprise LLM customization
Designing prompts, workflows, and reliability mechanisms
Reducing hallucinations, enforcing governance, minimizing bias
Designing agentic workflows using tools, APIs, memory, MCP, and multi-agent coordination
Final two weeks: AI Acceleration Project applying technical and workflow skills to a real business challenge. Design an end-to-end agentic workflow, including LLM customization, data sources, tools/APIs, and governance controls.
How do you build and lead effective AI-enabled teams? A leadership-focused course centered on organizational transformation, adoption strategy, and workforce readiness.
Communicating AI vision across technical and non-technical groups
Building and leading AI-augmented teams
Setting and tracking KPIs for AI initiatives
Talent strategy, retention, and compensation in the age of AI
Final two weeks: AI Acceleration Project rooted in your organizational context. Develop a practical, time-bound AI transformation roadmap covering talent, data foundations, operating models, and change management.
How do you lead responsibly and ensure AI drives sustainable value? Explore risk, responsibility, governance, and long-term leadership in an AI-driven environment.
Articulate your leadership philosophy for AI
Translate AI risks and governance concepts into clear business frameworks
Design responsible AI systems that balance short-term value with long-term sustainability
Build governance policies that combine top-down oversight with bottom-up innovation
Final two weeks: AI Acceleration Project focused on governance and leadership in your organization. Create an AI governance and leadership plan that defines roles, decision rights, risk frameworks, and monitoring mechanisms.
Prerequisites: The program does not require coding, machine learning experience, or proficiency with the tools listed; all platforms are taught from a strategic, business-focused perspective.
Tools You Will Use
Gain hands-on experience with leading AI tools that power research, automation, and content generation.
Program Highlights
Live sessions with faculty and subject matter experts
AI Acceleration Projects at the end of every course
Hands-on exposure to tools, including ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity AI, DeepSeek, Midjourney, and ElevenLabs
Case studies and real organizational applications
Earn a certificate from The University of Chicago upon completion of the program
Program Benefits
Upon successful completion of the program, you will receive select program benefits from The University of Chicago. These include:
Networking Opportunities
Exclusive LinkedIn access for continued professional connections.
Quarterly Speed Networking Nights hosted via Zoom.
Professional Development Resources
Resume Review Workshops: Offered once annually in a webinar/workshop hybrid format, allowing you to collaborate and exchange industry-specific insights.
Professional Development Webinars: Delivered in collaboration with the Career Transitions Center (CTC), focusing on professional growth and workplace trends.
Note: Program benefits are subject to change
This Program is an Excellent Fit for
Mid- to senior-level executives with minimum five years of management experience, building career advantage in an AI-driven era
Leaders collaborating with technical or cross-functional teams
Professionals seeking to guide responsible, sustainable AI-enabled change
Those who want to align business strategy with technology-driven innovation
Meet Your Faculty Director
Senior Instructional Professor and Director, MS in Applied Data Science Program, University of Chicago | Senior Director for Industrial Partnerships and Strategy, Data Science Institute
Dr. Greg Green serves as the Faculty Director for this Certificate Program. He is a Senior Instructional Professor and Director of the MS in Applied Data Science Program at th...
Meet Your Teaching Team and Contributors
These instructors teach this program regularly. If you wish to know the current teacher of each course, please speak to your enrollment advisor.
Lecturer in Generative AI, The University of Chicago | Co-Founder and Chief AI Officer, InterspectAI
Founder & CEO, Burtch Works
Senior Director of Global Data Strategy and Analytics, AXS
Analytics Executive and Strategy Consultant
Certificate
Upon successful completion of this program, you will receive a Certificate from The University of Chicago. A digital badge is also awarded, which can be shared on LinkedIn or added to a professional portfolio.
Note: Certificates and digital badges are issued in the name used during program registration. Images are for illustrative purposes and may be updated at the discretion of The University of Chicago
Frequently Asked Questions
The program is delivered live online through highly interactive sessions led by University of Chicago faculty and subject-matter experts. Each course concludes with an AI Acceleration Project, allowing participants to apply learning directly to their business context.
The program runs for 7–8 months. Specific start dates and schedules will be communicated to enrolled participants.
Participants typically spend 5–7 hours per week. This includes a 1.5-hour live session, along with pre-readings, videos, exercises, and applied activities to prepare for and reinforce learning.
Each live session is 1.5 hours long and is conducted on weekday mornings. Final schedules are confirmed and shared prior to the start of the program.
All live sessions are recorded and made available for later viewing, allowing participants to review missed content and stay on track.
Each of the five courses includes an individual AI Acceleration Project. Participants work independently to identify opportunities, design solutions, plan transformation, and develop governance frameworks for their own organizations.
Yes. In addition to the projects, participants complete structured assignments and exercises. Some assignments support project development, while others ensure mastery of key concepts and skills.
Yes. Assignments and AI Acceleration Projects are assessed on a pass/fail basis. Participants must achieve a minimum score of 69% to successfully pass each course.
Yes. Instructors address questions during live sessions, and instructional assistants provide additional academic support and guidance as needed.
Upon successful completion, participants receive a University of Chicago Certificate of Completion and a shareable digital badge. The University also plans to host a limited number of in-person certificate award ceremonies each year.
Applicable taxes will be calculated and added at checkout in accordance with country/state regulations.
Connect with a Program Advisor for a 1:1 Session
Didn't find what you were looking for? Schedule a call with one of our Program Advisors or call us at +1 315 810 9499.
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