Dr. Bogdan Daraban, Vice Provost of Innovation and Technology Education at Barry University was recently interviewed by Authority Magazine. Below is the article.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series. Before we dive into our discussion, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path in AI?

My journey into the world of AI is deeply rooted in my background as an economist. I’ve always been fascinated by the drivers of economic growth, and throughout history, one force stands out time and again: technology. From the steam engine to the internet, each major technological leap has redefined what’s possible in terms of productivity, innovation, and human flourishing.

Early on, I paid close attention to the emerging field of artificial intelligence. I vividly remember watching the 1997 Deep Blue vs. Kasparov chess match. Even then, I had this sense that we were witnessing the beginning of something profound. A technology that wasn’t just automating tasks but beginning to emulate strategic thinking. For years, I followed the field with cautious optimism, waiting for the moment when AI would break out of the lab and into the broader economy. That moment came with the rise of large language models (LLMs) and generative AI a few years ago. Suddenly, access to powerful AI tools was no longer limited to research institutions or tech giants. Anyone with an internet connection could now harness AI’s capabilities.

What drew me in was the vast range of its applications and uses for this new technology. I saw how AI could improve economic outcomes by optimizing decision-making and reducing waste. But, I also saw its potential for positive societal impact: improving education, supporting nonprofits, expanding access to healthcare, and empowering communities that have traditionally been left behind in previous tech waves.

What led me to fully commit to this space was the belief that AI can be a transformative force for good across education, business, and society as a whole. It’s what inspired me to lead the creation of the AI Center and the Digital Transformation Lab (DX Lab) at Barry University. For me, AI has become a calling grounded in a lifelong curiosity about how ideas, data, and technology can help people build better lives.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started working with artificial intelligence?

One of the most interesting and recurring stories in my journey with AI is this cycle I’ve seen play out again and again: I’ll be in a meeting, a classroom discussion, or even just reflecting with colleagues, and we’ll imagine a use case — some clever way to use AI to solve a business problem, transform a process, or rethink a product. Often, the idea feels just a little bit out of reach. The technology isn’t quite there yet, or it’s not practical enough, maybe there’s too much friction to implement. But then, almost like clockwork, just a few months or even weeks later, I’ll read about a startup or a team that’s actually doing it. It’s like the world caught up to our thoughts mid-sentence.

For a project with our students at the DX Lab, we were working on an AI agent concept for academic advising. Imagine something that could help students plan their courses, stay on track for graduation, and even connect them to support resources, all through a conversational interface. At the time, it felt like a bold idea. We were stitching together multiple tools, dealing with limitations around memory, context, and systems integration. It was more prototype than product. Then, a few weeks later, I was invited to a pitch session where a company demoed an almost identical solution. It was fully integrated and already being piloted at universities. Something we had just been sketching out in a whiteboard session was already live in the world. A “what if” conversation turns into a “somebody’s already doing that” moment in what feels like the blink of an eye. It’s a constant reminder of just how quickly things are moving. What used to be a multi-year R&D cycle is now being compressed into a few high-intensity product sprints. That recurring feeling that the future is catching up faster than we can imagine has been the most exhilarating and humbling part of working in this space. It’s a reminder of the power of technology as well as the power of human imagination, speed, and boldness in times of change.

You are a successful leader in the AI space. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?

Visionary Thinking and Execution

I see AI as a transformative factor of production that can shift the very frontier of economic growth, societal development, and long-term prosperity. That is why I am very excited to work on positioning Barry University as an AI-integrated institution. Among other things, we are embedding AI competencies across the curriculums — not only in computer science but in all other disciplines like nursing, business, education, and the arts. I have also championed the idea that AI needs to be adopted strategically, not reactively. That philosophy drove the creation of educational programs like our new MBA in AI Strategy, a first-of-its-kind program designed to train leaders who can align AI implementation with organizational objectives. Many professionals are exploring AI tools without a clear roadmap for how to integrate them in ways that create measurable business value, and I wanted to help close the gap in the market.

Inviting Experimentation

When generative AI exploded into the mainstream, we moved quickly. The key here was to encourage as many people as possible to play around and learn from what was available. At Barry, we created courses like “AI Fundamentals and Experimentation” and “Harnessing AI for Good,” brought students into consulting projects through the DX Lab, and launched faculty training workshops. I have always believed you don’t need to have everything figured out before you start because experimentation leads to discovery.

Bridge-Builder Between Academia and Industry

I have made it a point to connect faculty, students, and community partners through our lab model. Whether it’s a local business owner learning how to use AI for inventory management or a nonprofit exploring AI for storytelling, I act as a bridge-builder between academia and business pragmatism. Our students see that they’re not just learning about AI — they’re doing AI, in ways that make a real-world difference.

Let’s jump to the primary focus of our interview. Can you share a specific example of how you or your organization used AI to solve a major business challenge? What was the problem, and how did AI help address it?

One of the most impactful examples of how we’ve used AI to solve a major challenge is the way we planned, launched, and implemented Barry University’s AI Center and the DX Lab, as well as the graduate and undergraduate curriculum. However, these initiatives weren’t meant to solely solve our institution’s needs for AI integration. They were shaped by our community’s needs for an AI-educated workforce. Our students will be better prepared for their next job opportunity and set themselves apart regardless of their discipline because of what they will be learning at our institution.

The way we went about implementing this was at a pace that’s virtually unheard of in higher education, knowing that our community needed these resources sooner rather than later. At the heart of our approach was using AI as a strategic partner in the ideation and research process to bring this to life. We leveraged AI tools to benchmark global best practices, identify gaps in current offerings, and simulate possible models for our programs. We used AI to analyze labor market trends and emerging technologies to inform our curriculum development when we designed our MBA in AI Strategy. We also used AI to generate policy drafts, build microsites, create marketing content, and promotional materials. Everyone across the university and our local community is being challenged to integrate AI in a way that fits their needs, and the AI center is available to provide the tools and education to make this a reality.

What are some of the common misconceptions you’ve encountered about using AI in business? How do you address those misconceptions?

One of the most persistent misconceptions I encounter is the belief that AI is only accessible or useful to large enterprises with deep pockets, massive datasets, and technical teams. This couldn’t be further from the truth. At the DX Lab, our mission is to empower small and medium-sized businesses, even solopreneurs, to explore, experiment, and implement AI tools in practical ways. We encourage these teams to use and learn the powerful and widely accessible tools like LLMs, image generators, and vibe coding.

Another common misconception is that AI is primarily about efficiency — doing more with less — and that it inevitably leads to job displacement. However, its most powerful potential lies not just in cutting costs, but in unlocking entirely new opportunities to create value — launching new products, personalizing customer experiences, and reimagining how services are delivered. That’s why we focus so much on teaching people to lead with curiosity and strategic thinking, not fear.

Finally, many business owners assume they need to understand complex algorithms or data science to get started. What matters most is having a strategic mindset, not a technical background. Know your business well, define the problems you want to solve, and be willing to explore solutions. That is what we teach through awareness, education, and hands-on experimentation at the DX Lab.

In your opinion, what is the most significant way AI can make a positive impact on businesses today?

Personally, I am very excited about the opportunities that AI unlocks by lowering the cost of innovation. You don’t need a full R&D lab anymore to explore new ideas. All you need is curiosity and access to the right tools, which levels the playing field. It means a small business can explore a new product idea with the same creative firepower that used to be reserved for Fortune 500 firms. Plus, we can give workers, at every level, the tools to solve problems, not just follow processes. AI is a multiplier of efficiency, and beyond that, of creativity, adaptability, and resilience.

To further explore Dr. Daraban’s insights on AI and its role in solving business challenges, read the full feature in Authority Magazine.