AI News at Smith

Despite few upsets, the NCAA men’s and women’s tournaments remain compelling, with millions tracking brackets. One perfect bracket remains. Smith professors Henry C. Boyd III and Daniel McCarthy discuss AI, marketing trends, NIL and fan behavior.

The University of Maryland’s Smith School received $1.031 million in federal funding to help Maryland small businesses adopt AI, offering tools, training and research to improve efficiency, expand access and support economic growth statewide, officials said.

A student-built AI chatbot to combat food insecurity won a UMD competition and national attention. Developed for Capital Area Food Bank, it helps users find nearby resources 24/7 in multiple languages and will be implemented by its creators as interns.

The University of Maryland’s Merrill College of Journalism and Smith School of Business are launching a 10-part webinar series beginning March 27 focused on sustaining journalism in the age of artificial intelligence, featuring industry leaders and supported in part by JPMorganChase.

In less than a year, the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business has enrolled more than 50,000 learners worldwide in its free online Certificate in Artificial Intelligence and Career Empowerment, launched in May 2025 to boost AI literacy and support career transitions.

AI-powered “vibe coding” is reshaping business education, enabling app development through natural language prompts. At the University of Maryland’s Smith School, marketing professor Wendy Moe taught MBA students to use AI tools to build near-launch-ready applications in fall 2025.

Smith associate professor Sean Cao, co-founder and director of the Smith AI Initiative for Capital Market Research, received two best paper awards for research showing how humans and artificial intelligence work together to improve stock analysis and corporate disclosure in capital markets.

A new Smith course at Universities at Shady Grove equips undergraduates with practical AI skills through simulations and free Google Coursera training, blending marketing, accounting and management to prepare students for data-driven decision-making and the future job market careers nationwide.

The University of Maryland’s Smith School of Business renamed four graduate programs to emphasize artificial intelligence and human ingenuity, highlighting experiential learning and responsible AI. Leaders say the changes strengthen curricula, prepare graduates to lead innovation, and reinforce Smith’s role.

UMD’s MSIS capstone linked 20 student teams with 17 clients across industries, advancing AI-powered solutions. Projects like food-rescue and microloan platforms showcased hands-on innovation, mentorship, and purpose—proving the program’s power to transform students into impactful technology leaders.