On Wednesday 22 October, Kent Business School officially launched its first AI for Business Accelerator series with an inspiring masterclass at the Sibson Building.
The session, led by Thomas Hirschman, Lecturer in Business Analytics, and Core Cortex CEO and Behavioural Economy founder, marked the start of a unique new competition that brings together students from Kent Business School and the School of Computing working in teams.
Supported by guest speakers working at the forefront of artificial intelligence, the launch offered participants an insider’s view on how to get the most out of AI in professional and academic contexts.
A New Kind of Learning Experience
The AI for Business Accelerator is an innovative, team-based competition designed to immerse students in the practical applications of AI. Beginning with the masterclass, the programme continues with a series of hands-on lab sessions. Successful participants will progress to the Advanced AI Labs, where they will collaborate in teams to develop cutting-edge AI-driven business solutions.
The winning team will travel to Munich and present their AI concept at the BMW Motorrad headquarters.
Exploring the Human Side of AI
The masterclass opened with presentations from Vicky Knight, Dean of Kent Business School, who discussed the previous industrial revolutions and the impact of AI on careers and the workplace. She highlighted the importance of developing critical thinking in our approach to using and developing AI business tools.
This theme—balancing AI efficiency with human creativity—ran throughout the day.
Bringing Real World Experience to Students
Two highly experienced and engaging guest speakers brought real energy to the interactive session.
Barney Worfolk-Smith, co-founder and CGO, DAIVID, who delivered a presentation: “Pragmatism from the frontline of AI in Advertising” demonstrated how thei company uses AI to analyse the emotional and cognitive responses to advertisements, revealing the vast potential of AI in understanding consumer behaviour. Sharing a unique insight into how music impacts engagement by sharing the data analysis from the famous “we need a bigger boat” scene from the movie, “Jaws”.
Frieda Yonzan, Regional Enablement Leader, EMEA, Databricks focused on “AI Upskilling: Empowering the Next Generation.” She highlighted the often unseen side of AI in terms of how many projects fail and the high cost; informing the class that “85% of dollars spent haven’t shown a return yet.”
She shared a quote from Ali Ghodsi, the Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Databricks:
“Everyone we speak to is constrained by the same problem; not enough people with the right data and AI skills. With the right investment and the right tools, we will see more AI innovation in this next generation than all previous generations combined.”
Databricks is committed to democratising data and AI training. They will be training 100,000 people across the UK and Ireland by 2028.
Databricks has offered University of Kent KBS and Computing students who attended the masterclass free 30-day access to their training tools.
Over 80 students attended the event, engaging in dynamic discussions and Q&A sessions. Many asked challenging questions about how to maintain human value in an AI-driven world—echoing the speakers’ message that while AI can automate repetitive tasks and process vast data, it is the human skills of critical thinking and creativity that when used with AI will truly distinguish future leaders.
Looking Ahead
The AI for Business Accelerator represents Kent Business School’s forward-looking approach to preparing students for a rapidly evolving digital economy. As the series progresses through its lab stages, students will not only gain valuable technical skills but also learn how to apply them ethically and strategically in real-world business settings.
The masterclass’s success sets a promising tone for the rest of the competition—and for Kent’s growing reputation as a hub for innovation in AI and business.
Find out more about the AI for Business Accelerator here.
