ECON 3735 - Artificial Intelligence in Business
Fall 2026 Syllabus, Section A01, CRN 43248,
Credit hours: 3
Course Meeting Times
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Instructor
Joseph Palardy
Email: jpalardy@ysu.edu
Course Description
A note on the format.This is a seven-week course carrying the same credit as a full-term course. Expect roughly 12–14 hours of work per module, with lessons, discussions, projects, and peer reviews due as listed in the weekly schedule.
Course Readings
| Group | Title | Author | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Required | Has AI Impacted the Labor Market? (Substack, Sep. 29, 2026) | Alex Imas and Jacob Schaal | |
| Required | Human Baselines for Benchmarks: AI Now Outperforms Junior Accountants (Mercor) | Mercor |
There is no required textbook for this course, and the YSU Bookstore lists this section as requiring no purchased materials. All readings are free and linked in each Blackboard module; course materials and assignments are also provided there. Generative AI changes rapidly, and materials are updated during the term as the tools change.
Note that the AI subscription described under Additional Course Materials is a separate personal expense and is not sold through the bookstore.
The course readings are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, research developments, current events, and/or to ensure better learning.
Assignments/Assessments
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Schedule of Topics and Assignments
| Week of | Reading(s) | Proposed Topic | Due/To Prepare for Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/19 | Mercor, Human Baselines for Benchmarks | Module 1: How LLMs work, ending at agents. Lessons: How LLMs Work (next word, scratchpad, tools); From Chatbots to Agents; What AI Can Do Now; AI Policy, Trust, and Chat Histories | Improv initial post Wed 10/21, 11:59 p.m.; Stand-Up, AI Policy Comments, Agent Setup Check, Improv replies, and lessons Sun 10/25, 11:59 p.m. (last day to add: Thu 10/22) |
| 10/26 | Prompting science report (linked in Blackboard) | Module 2: Directing agents. Lessons: Writing Specs for Agents; Verification; Metaprompting | Stand-Up class vote closes Wed 10/28, 11:59 p.m.; Cookbook initial peer-review submission Wed 10/28, 11:59 p.m.; Cookbook Challenge, Cookbook Peer Review, Prompting Science Report, Term Project Baseline, and lessons Sun 11/1, 11:59 p.m. |
| 11/2 | Linked in Blackboard | Module 3: Connectors, skills, and plugins; AI in Excel and where data work is headed. Codespaces setup. | Connector and Image Lab, First Skill, Data Brief in Excel, and lessons Sun 11/8, 11:59 p.m. |
| 11/9 | Linked in Blackboard | Module 4: Plugin build by track; prompt injection and permissions; testing (heaviest week) | Plugin Build initial submission Wed 11/11, 11:59 p.m.; Plugin Build final, Plugin Peer Test, AI Risk Review, and lessons Sun 11/15, 11:59 p.m. |
| 11/16 | Imas and Schaal, Has AI Impacted the Labor Market? | Module 5: AI and the labor market; early-career hiring; durable skills | Labor Market Discussion initial post Wed 11/18, 11:59 p.m.; Your First Job Audited, Term Project Deep Research, discussion replies, and lessons Sun 11/22, 11:59 p.m. (last day to withdraw with a W: Mon 11/16) |
| 11/23 | Linked in Blackboard | Module 6: How organizations restructure around agents; hiring and training (Thanksgiving week) | Reorganizing Cosmic Crunch, Term Project Final Project, and lessons Sun 11/29, 11:59 p.m. |
| 11/30 | Linked in Blackboard | Module 7: Capstone launch and pitch | Product Launch Challenge Wed 12/2, 11:59 p.m.; Product Showcase reviews, Plugin Walkthrough Recording, and lessons Fri 12/4, 11:59 p.m. (no grace period) |
The course schedule, policies, procedures, and assignments in this course are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, by mutual agreement, and/or to ensure better learning.