“Building a Better Future Through Business and AI” Dissertation Proposal Competition Announced

Texas A&M University will award six doctoral students for their research on AI in business in a new competition. 

Guided by the vision of building a better future through business and efforts to produce impactful research and insights that drive progress, Mays Business School at Texas A&M University, with support from Deloitte and the Deloitte Foundation, has created the Building a Better Future Through Business and AI dissertation proposal competition that highlights the pivotal role that artificial intelligence (AI) will play in the future of business. Doctoral students are invited to submit their dissertation research related to AI now through May 31, 2025. Awardees will receive a $10,000 cash prize and be invited to Mays Business School in September 2025 to present a concise, impactful talk highlighting their pioneering AI research.

“AI is poised to reshape industries, economies, and societies in ways that we can scarcely imagine. At Mays Business School, we believe AI is integral to our vision of building a better future through business. This unique competition will bring together young scholars from each of the six major disciplines in business to celebrate the latest insights on AI’s power to change the world,” said Mays Business School Dean Nate Y. Sharp.

The first-of-its-kind competition will recognize groundbreaking dissertation research related to AI across the fields of accounting, finance, information systems, management, marketing, and supply chain management.

“AI is going from being just a technological revolution into a catalyst for reimagining industries, reshaping economies, and creating a more prosperous society. At Mays, we want to inspire groundbreaking research, drive innovation, and lead the charge in building a brighter future,” said Shrihari Sridhar, senior associate dean of Mays Business School and an expert on AI in business.

The exponential growth of AI technologies offers new opportunities and challenges for businesses worldwide, enabling enhanced decision-making, efficiency, and innovation.

“Generative AI technology is advancing at breakneck speed and collaboration between business and academic innovators will be crucial to unlocking its full potential,” said Lou DiLorenzo, principal and US AI & Data Strategy practice leader, Deloitte Consulting LLP. “The Mays competition has the opportunity to unleash new ideas and innovations from the next generation of AI talent that can drive future business value.”

The Building a Better Future Through Business competition will present six awards for methodological or empirical dissertations leveraging AI techniques/methods or studying AI’s impacts in the respective business fields:

1. Best Dissertation Proposal in AI and Accounting
2. Best Dissertation Proposal in AI and Finance
3. Best Dissertation Proposal in AI and Information Systems
4. Best Dissertation Proposal in AI and Management
5. Best Dissertation Proposal in AI and Marketing
6. Best Dissertation Proposal in AI and Supply Chain Management

For full details and to start a submission, visit createdatmays.tamu.edu/ai

Please direct any inquiries by email with the subject “Mays AI Dissertation Competition” to Crystal Garcia-Williams at cgarcia-williams@mays.tamu.edu.