“AI Across Disciplines” Event Kicks Off Exciting New Vision for Wharton and Penn

On Tuesday, April 1, the University of Pennsylvania’s Penn AI initiative hosted AI Across Disciplines at Amy Gutmann Hall. This panel-style conversation featured affiliated AI faculty who demonstrated the potential benefits and challenges of AI in their respective fields. Duncan Watts, Stevens University Professor and director of the Computational Social Science Lab, helped illustrate the value that Penn AI can provide for its schools and students. “This initiative we’re celebrating here, I think it can really help our students and get them the tools they need from all the disciplines that we can bring to bear,” said Watts. He’s one of six Penn faculty members, along with Vice Dean of AI & Analytics, Eric Bradlow, chosen to sit on the Penn AI Council, responsible for enhancing the visibility and impact of AI research at the University.

“I think Penn has a very healthy view of AI. It’s going to change every field. I love hearing my counterparts in physics, medicine, psychology, English, and music talk about the application of AI within their field,” says Bradlow in a new video demonstrating Penn AI’s mission and key voices.

As the academic authority on the application of AI and analytics to fuel business innovation, the Wharton AI & Analytics Initiative (WAIAI) is uniquely prepared to help lead the charge for Penn AI; one if its five core focus areas is AI + Business. “Everything we do, whether it’s responding to customers, analyzing customer data, creating new content – a great place to start is using large language models,” says Bradlow. In support of Penn’s mission to lead at the intersection of AI + Business, WAIAI and the Wharton School unveiled a new undergraduate concentration and MBA major starting in the fall of 2025.

Read more about AI Across Disciplines at Penn Today.