UC Davis Expertise

Premier top-tier research university advantage

What makes AI@GSM especially compelling is that it is embedded within a broader UC Davis research environment where artificial intelligence is actively being developed, tested and applied across disciplines.

Business students are not studying AI in isolation. They are part of the comprehensive UC Davis campus community using AI to develop solutions to issues in healthcare, engineering, food and agriculture, biotech, energy, environmental science, public policy and more. You'll gain exposure to how AI is shaping industries at scale.

The UC Davis AI Advantage

AI is accelerating—but the science of how learning truly works remains unclear. UC Davis College of Engineering faculty member Yubei Chen is uncovering the fundamental mechanics behind learning in both brains and machine models to create more efficient and accessible AI systems.

UC Davis brings together three advantages few business schools can match:

Top-10 public research university with strengths across STEM, health, engineering, applied sciences and entrepreneurship programs igniting tech transfer and commercialization of new life-changing discoveries making a positive impact.
Campus and affiliate locations spanning the Northern California Super-Region, connecting the Silicon Valley and San Francisco AI hub with Sacramento’s policy and regulatory leadership.
Collaborative environment where students can engage with ideas, innovations and applications emerging across the university.

For students, this means learning how AI technology is actively transforming organizations and industries.

AI in Action Across UC Davis

Across campus, researchers are putting AI to work in ways that directly shape the future of business and society, including:

Using AI to improve disease detection, clinical decision-making and public health surveillance.
Applying machine learning to analyze large-scale and complex datasets in fields like biology, climate science and engineering.
Accelerating innovation through AI-enabled approaches to drug discovery, modeling and experimentation.
Exploring how AI can support better decision-making, forecasting and operational efficiency.

These applications expose students to how AI is used in high-stakes, data-driven environments. It's critical experience that translates directly to business leadership.

World-Class Research Centers and Collaboration Opportunities

UC Davis supports a growing ecosystem of AI-focused centers and initiatives that connect students, faculty and industry.

Key examples include:

Center for Analytics and Technology in Society — Graduate School of Management affiliated center focusing on thought leadership and practical insights into the use of analytics, AI and technology in society, especially health care, media and entertainment, and platform businesses.
UC Davis Grand Challenges — As a cross cutting initiative, Grand Challenges is working with UC Davis to harness the power of AI to enable the detection of patterns and insights beyond human capacity, accelerate scientific discovery, and help coordinate responses to the world’s wicked problems.
UC Davis AI Center in Engineering — Advancing collaboration across campus and with industry and policymakers.
Center for AI and Experimental Futures — Exploring the societal and governance implications of AI.
DataLab — Providing hands-on training in coding, data science and machine learning.
Center for Precision Medicine and Data Sciences — Applying AI to improve healthcare outcomes.
AI Institute for Food Systems — Using AI to address global challenges in agriculture, food and health.

Together, these resources create opportunities for students to engage with AI beyond the business classroom.

UC Davis: A Living Laboratory for AI

UC Davis leaders are also using AI to improve campus operations, offering a living lab offering students insight into how organizations deploy AI in practice.

Campus initiatives include:

AI-powered tools supporting student services and administrative functions.
Chatbots assisting with admissions, financial aid and student information.
Pilot programs testing how AI can improve efficiency, access and user experience.

UC Davis' leveraging of AI allows students to see how AI is evaluated, implemented and managed inside complex organizations. In fact, MBA student teams have consulted for UC Davis on several projects.

Why It Matters to You

For Graduate School of Management students, the broader UC Davis AI ecosystem is both a proving ground and cutting-edge pioneer in the application of AI and new ways of applying it to help solve the world's biggest challenges.

You'll learn how AI is best applied, evaluated and managed in real-world settings. That perspective helps you develop the judgment to use AI effectively in business as you gain a greater understanding of both its potential and its limitations.