Tap into Emerging AI Talent to Solve Real-World Challenges
Through a Wharton AI & Analytics Initiative (WAIAI) Student Research Partnership, your organization gains access to talented student teams working alongside faculty and industry mentors to tackle complex challenges in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and business analytics.
Why Engage in a Student Research Partnership?
How it Works
Join the AI & Analytics Accelerator
Secure your spot by becoming a Student Research Partner.
Scope Your Project
Identify the business challenge, objectives, and datasets.
Prepare and Share Data
Securely transfer data or provide access to your company’s secure environment.
Launch Your Project
Meet your student team and discuss project objectives and expectations.
Meet Regularly
Attend weekly meetings with your student team and Wharton mentor.
Participate in the Summit
Experience student presentations with insights, models, and solutions.
Evaluate Impact
Discuss project recommendations and business implications with the Wharton AI & Analytics Initiative.
Current Student Research Partners
How IKEA is Leveraging AI & Analytics for Strategic Innovation
IKEA Retail (Ingka Group) collaborated with the Wharton AI & Analytics Accelerator to explore AI-driven solutions for strategic decision-making. A team of Wharton and Penn students analyzed IKEA’s business data, developing machine learning models to enhance operational efficiency and improve customer experience. The project resulted in data-backed recommendations for streamlining supply chain operations and optimizing inventory management, demonstrating the real-world impact of AI in retail.
Spring 2025 AI & Analytics Accelerator Projects
Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Detection
Project Details
CenterWell aims to develop a model that leverages AI technologies to detect patterns in their data that may indicate potential cases of fraud, waste, and abuse.
Marketing Mix Models (MMMs)
Project Details
Google aims to focus on enhancing Marketing Mix Models (MMMs) to estimate longer-term effects of advertising by incorporating new response variables, such as brand value indicators like Google search queries. It also aims to create more dynamic, granular MMMs with daily-level updates, providing improved insights and scalability for long-term impact assessment and model implementation.
Automate Client Onboarding
Project Details
RxSense’s first project aims to automate client onboarding by developing a template based on historical claims data from past clients, streamlining the process of designing plans for prescription needs. This approach minimizes manual effort, enabling faster, more accurate, and efficient onboarding.
Analyze Pharmaceutical Demand Trends
Project Details
RxSense’s second project aims to analyze pharmaceutical demand trends, such as the 2023-2024 spike in Ozempic usage, to better forecast pricing and client cost trends. This insight will enable RxSense to optimize pricing strategies and offer cost-saving drug-switching alternatives to members.
Develop an AI tool to Predict Sales Trends
Project Details
Spencer’s Gifts seeks to develop an AI tool to predict sales trends for t-shirts and other trendy items by analyzing historical and current data. The tool will provide weekly reports to the Planning Team, highlighting projected changes in sales, including the magnitude, timing, and revenue impact of these shifts.
Additional Partnership Advantages
Dedicated WAIAI Corporate Engagement Officer to facilitate connections and maximize partnership value
Exclusive networking with Wharton faculty, WAIAI Members, Corporate Research Partners, and Penn/Wharton students actively engaged in AI and analytics research
Be among the first to access AI and analytics industry reports, white papers, and research briefings
Priority access to WAIAI’s flagship conferences and convenings, faculty research symposiums, specialized workshops, members-only engagements, and faculty-led webinars
Insights on ethical AI governance and policy from leading Wharton faculty straight to your inbox
Recognition as a Corporate Partner on WAIAI’s website
Opportunities to engage as judges, panelists, or speakers at WAIAI high-impact events
Invitation to be a sponsor of WAIAI events and programs
Access to a private LinkedIn group for direct engagement with WAIAI Members, Corporate Research Partners, Wharton faculty, and industry experts
Case Studies
Get Started
Accelerate your company’s AI and analytics capabilities while supporting the next generation of data-driven business leaders. Complete the form, and a dedicated WAIAI Corporate Engagement Officer will be in touch to discuss partnership opportunities.
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