While the institute will advance and promote new ideas, it will also convert those ideas into action.

As industry partners bring real business challenges to Haslam, it will serve as a launchpad for research questions, classroom projects and new opportunities for collaboration. This approach builds on existing models for industry-based learning while focusing on new technologies and creating more opportunities for employers to connect with students and educators.

The institute’s first project is a collaboration between the Haslam College of Business and Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU), supported by the AI Tennessee Initiative and the Tennessee AI Labor and Workforce Subcommittee. The partnership will connect workforce intelligence research on nationwide labor market dynamics to Tennessee-specific insights and policy recommendations. By combining large-scale data analysis with an understanding of the state’s distinct needs, the collaboration aims to give employers, educators and policymakers the evidence they require to prepare Tennessee’s workforce for an AI-enabled economy.

This work reflects the ongoing mission of the Institute for the Future of Business: ensuring that across every economic sector, and for working professionals and students alike, AI serves as an amplifier of human capability rather than a substitute for knowledge.