Real-World Readiness: Integrating AI into the Economics Classroom

Why did you decide to experiment with AI tools in your classes?

I use AI for three key reasons. First, as a teaching tool—to help students better understand complex topics and to give them new ways of approaching challenging material. Second, as an engagement strategy—to make my class more interactive and enjoyable. Third, as a workforce readiness tool—because I want my students to be comfortable using AI to complement their own thinking and become more efficient, critical users of technology. These skills will be essential in their future careers.

Can you share examples of how you use AI as a teaching tool?

One of my favorite assignments is a short AI-supported essay where students write about how economics shows up in their everyday lives. It’s designed to help them practice prompting and refine their ideas using AI tools. Many students are already doing economic analysis intuitively, but they struggle to express it in writing. This assignment helps bridge that gap. I assign it at both the beginning and end of the semester so I can track how their skills evolve. It’s also fun—I’ve read more than a few “economics of attending a Taylor Swift concert” essays!

I also show students how to use AI as a research translator. In my health economics course, students explored a variety of topics and many were interested in abortion access. I demonstrated how they could upload a dense academic article on the Dobbs decision and use ChatGPT to distill it—by asking the AI to take on the role of the author and explain the research in simpler terms. This made complex, real-world studies accessible and usable in their own projects.

How do you use AI to boost student engagement?

I’ve started using tools like Notebook LM to transform course materials into more engaging formats. For example, I created a short podcast version of my syllabus, with two AI-generated narrators talking through what the course would cover. It was a big improvement over the standard syllabus walkthrough.

In another class, I adapted a challenging academic paper into a short podcast script using AI. Two student volunteers read it aloud as “podcasters,” and the class followed up with a discussion and iClicker quiz to check for understanding. It brought the material to life and made students more active participants in the learning process. 

What tips would you offer colleagues interested in AI?

Start with a clear AI policy so your students know what’s allowed. Think carefully about what you want AI to support and how it fits with your learning outcomes.

Most importantly, keep in mind that this isn’t just about how we feel about AI—it’s about preparing our students for a world where AI will be part of their daily work. If we want to be 21st-century educators, we need to equip our students with the tools and judgment they’ll need to thrive.