Schools are wrestling with AI education as businesses experiment with new tools

by Jacob Tukker and Dylan Hamann, Columbia Missourian

As artificial intelligence becomes more deeply embedded in Missouri businesses, colleges and universities across the state are grappling with the best ways to prepare students for a workforce increasingly shaped by automation.

From health care and insurance to software development, Missouri employers are experimenting with AI tools designed to streamline tasks and improve productivity.

Educators, meanwhile, are trying to determine how to teach those tools responsibly — without undermining core learning.

Businesses push ahead

More than 80% of organizations worldwide have experimented with large language models such as ChatGPT or AI-assisted systems like Microsoft Copilot, according to MIT's State of AI in Business 2025 report. About 40% have formally deployed the tools, though only 5% of pilot programs have produced measurable financial impact so far.

Despite uneven results, investor confidence in AI remains strong. Chipmaker NVIDIA has emerged as a major beneficiary of the boom, driven by demand for the specialized processors that power AI systems. The company's strong earnings have helped ease concerns about an AI bubble, reinforcing expectations that the technology will continue to expand across industries.

During a recent earnings call, NVIDIA Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang highlighted the rise of so-called AI agents, systems designed to complete specific tasks with limited human oversight.

"Most of the world's industries haven't really engaged agentic AI yet, and they're about to," Huang said.

J. Scott Christianson, an emeritus associate business professor and former director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Missouri, said AI agents differ from more familiar generative AI tools by acting autonomously within defined limits.

"For example, an agent might scan emails, extract key information and draft a response before a human even opens the message," he said.

Missouri industries test the tech

Several Missouri-based companies are already deploying AI agents.

"If your engineers aren't taking advantage of agentic AI tools, you're going to be left behind," said Nate McKie, World Wide Technology's senior executive AI adviser, during an episode of the company's "AI Proving Ground" podcast.