The Future of Commerce with Generative AI – Expert Panel and Student Concept Competition
October 30, 2024
On Wednesday, October 30, 2025, the McIntire School of Commerce was pleased to host “The Future of Commerce with Generative AI” – an evening event that combined the finale of a student concept competition on “GenAI for the Common Good” with an expert panel discussion on the latest AI breakthroughs and their game-changing impact on business decisions. Earlier in the fall semester, McIntire opened the concept competition to student teams from across UVA (except doctoral candidates) with the prompt, “How will you use GenAI to solve a pressing societal issue?” Proposals were capped at just 500 words and included a problem statement, how generative AI could address that issue, a description of the AI approach, and its potential impact on society. Of more than 60 proposals submitted, three student teams were selected to pitch their ideas at the live event to a panel of industry experts and receive valuable mentoring from sponsoring companies Capital One, Google, and WillowTree.
Following an introduction by Professor Reza Mousavi about the recent paradigm shift in the field of AI, these three teams gave five-minute pitches on their concepts to the panel:
- A Generative AI Solution for Migrants and Border Patrol: Accelerating Asylum – Pierce Brookins (A&S ’28), Nelson Lattimer (A&S ’28), Nathan Wang (A&S ’28)
- AI Welfare Distribution Assistant: ASE Solutions – Euan Morgan (A&S ’28), Alessio Azimipour (A&S ’28), and Savas Emanuel (A&S ’28)
- Generative AI Augments Natural Disaster Relief Planning and Response: Wikipedia Racers – Larina Yu (McIntire ’26), Michael Kish (McIntire ’26), and Jake Rashap (McIntire ’26)
While the evaluations were tallied, the panelists and faculty in the audience provided immediate feedback to the student teams on their innovative ideas. Then the winning team was announced as Accelerating Asylum. Congratulations!
Thank you to our Expert Panelists and Evaluators:
- Barbara Rigatti: Google Cloud, supporting the Commonwealth of Virginia for public sector solutions.
- Margo Bulka: VP of Strategy at WillowTree, focusing on consulting services around digital technology.
- Virginia Sharma: Google Public Sector Marketing, specializing in product and content marketing.
- Zach Kass: Former head of go-to-market at OpenAI, with extensive experience in AI.
We are grateful to our expert panelists for evaluating and providing feedback to the student teams, in addition to lending their insights to the hour-long discussion on the impact of generative AI on society, workforce transformation, ethics, and regulation. The conversation was organized into the following themes:
- Theme 1: Societal Impact and Workforce Transformation
- Theme 2: Ethical Considerations and Responsible AI Development
- Theme 3: Regulation, Policy, and Collaboration
Key Highlights from the panel discussion:
- AI as an Augmenting Tool:
- Enhancing Human Capabilities: Panelists emphasize that AI excels at automating routine tasks, enabling individuals to focus on complex problem-solving, creativity, and interpersonal interactions—areas where humans uniquely thrive.
- Interpersonal Skills Matter: The discussion underscores the enduring importance of critical thinking and social skills that AI cannot replicate.
- Preparing Students for Transformation:
- Adaptability and Curiosity: Experts advise fostering adaptability and a passion for continuous learning in students to navigate the evolving job landscape.
- Embracing Lifelong Learning: Encouraging students to become generalists with the ability to think critically prepares them for careers that may not yet exist.
- Educational Institutions’ Role:
- Innovative Learning Environments: The conversation highlights the necessity for institutions to create spaces where students learn how to learn, promoting exploration and critical thinking over rote memorization.
- Integrating AI into Curricula: Incorporating AI tools into educational programs is crucial for equipping students with the skills needed in a technology-driven world.
- Upcoming Breakthroughs in AI:
- Agentive AI and Beyond: The panel explores future advancements like agentive AI, natural language operating systems, and wearable technology, discussing their potential societal and commercial impacts.
- Ethical Considerations and Regulation:
- Responsible AI Development: The experts discuss strategies for mitigating biases in AI models and ensuring fairness and inclusivity.
- Policy and Regulation Challenges: The need for policymakers to stay informed and the difficulties they face in keeping up with rapid AI advancements are discussed.
- Navigating Skepticism and Resistance:
- Engaging the Unconvinced: The panel offers thoughtful approaches for discussing AI with skeptics, highlighting historical trends of technological advancements improving quality of life.
- Fostering Open Dialogue: Encouraging open conversations about the benefits and challenges of AI is seen as key to broader acceptance.
Special thanks to our faculty coordinator Reza Mousavi, and the McIntire School’s Galant Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Center for Business Analytics, and Center for Global Commerce for their sponsorship of the program and grand prize of $1500 for the winning student team.
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