GSQ009 AI Strategy for Value Creation


To view more information for this unit, select Unit Outline from the list below. Please note the teaching period for which the Unit Outline is relevant.


Unit Outline: Session 2 2026, QUT Online, Online

Unit code:GSQ009
Credit points:12
Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of the teaching period.

Overview

AI Strategy for Value Creation is designed to upskill students with the knowledge needed to leverage AI technologies to create value in their organisations. The unit enables students to develop skills to make informed decisions and achieve competitive advantage through effective AI strategies.  The unit examines the challenges of investing in AI initiatives and provides students with a comprehensive understanding of how to identify AI investment potential and implement well-informed AI investment strategies. It will provide an overview of the AI adoption landscape, explore frameworks to critically assess AI performance, mitigate risks, and respond to AI-driven crises. Incorporating a blend of interactive discussions, real-world case studies, expert insights, and application of frameworks, this unit will provide foundational knowledge that extends across business disciplines. 

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

  1. Evaluate the components of AI strategy, including monitoring, evaluation, and continuous improvement, to enhance organisational performance. KS 1.2, PC 3.1.
  2. Assess how AI can support executive decision-making and generate evidence-based insights to improve business outcomes KS 1.1, HO 2.1,
  3. Create, communicate and defend a compelling presentation advocating for the adoption of AI technologies within an organisational strategy. HO 2.2, PC 3.2
  4. Recommend appropriate AI technologies based on organisational needs, capabilities, and strategic goals to enhance insight-driven decision-making. HO 2.1, SEC 5.1
  5. Critically analyse AI investment opportunities by developing a business plan that aligns AI projects with an organisation’s capability and strategic objectives HO 2.1, PC 3.1

Content

  1. Emerging Trends in AI for Competitive Advantage
    Key developments in AI applications across industries, including automation, customer insights, and predictive analytics.
  2. Factors for Business Leaders to Consider When Implementing AI Solutions
    Strategic alignment, data readiness, ethical considerations, talent acquisition, and integration with existing systems.
  3. AI, Innovation, and Digital Transformation as Drivers of Future Business Models
    How AI shapes new business opportunities, enables scalability, and supports continuous innovation.
  4. AI in Practice: Insights from Real-World AI Adoption in Leading Companies
    Case studies and data-driven examples from top-performing AI-enabled organisations (incorporating tools like Power BI or data labs).
  5. AI-Driven Decision-Making: Evidence, Metrics, and Impact on Business Performance
    Using AI for evidence-based strategy formulation, performance tracking, and risk assessment.
  6. Transition Strategies to Build AI Capability within Organisations
    Roadmaps for AI integration: from pilot projects to enterprise-wide adoption, including change management and upskilling.

 

Course Learning Outcomes (Postgraduate - Executive)

The Graduate School of Business has established the Assurance of Learning (AoL) Goals to meet contemporary industry needs and standards. Achieving these learning outcomes will assist you to meet the desired graduate outcomes set at QUT - aligned with other internationally renowned business schools. Students will develop the following Business capabilities relevant to a contemporary global and sustainable business environment:

Knowledge and Technological Skills (KS)

1.1 Demonstrate and apply integrated and advanced theoretical and practical knowledge (including systems thinking approaches, multidisciplinary frameworks, and knowledge of research principles and methods) that incorporate recent development in business disciplines, professional practice, and digital innovation.

1.2 Apply advanced technical and technological knowledge and skills from a range of business disciplines to critically reflect on, evaluate and contribute to developments that enhance innovative, sustainable, effective, and transformational business performance in local, national, global, and virtual business environments.

Higher Order Thinking (HO)

2.1 Provide evidence of effective analysis, interpretation, evaluation and synthesis of complex data, theories, ideas, issues, situations, and trends across multiple contexts and demonstrate knowledge of how research and inquiry can be used to interpret, contribute to and create theoretical and practical knowledge.

2.2 Provide evidence of higher order thinking including creativity, judgement, cognitive flexibility and critical reflection in designing, planning and implementing transdisciplinary digital strategies and solutions for effective performance in complex digital business environments.

Professional Communication (PC)

3.1 Demonstrate advanced use of language and argumentation in written communication, including digital communication, to frame strategic and influential responses to engage, persuade, negotiate, collaborate, lead, and transform in diverse and complex contexts (both physical and digital) and for diverse audiences.

3.2 Demonstrate advanced use of language and argumentation in oral communication, including digital communication, to frame strategic and influential responses to engage, persuade, negotiate, collaborate and lead across diverse and complex contexts (both physical and digital) and for diverse audiences.

Self and Leadership (SL)

4.1 Demonstrate adaptive personal leadership and accountability, including self-awareness, reflective practice, and foresight in adapting and applying knowledge and skills to inform and influence effective, responsible, innovative and agile practice in contemporary complex digital environments.

4.2 Lead, manage and foster the development of collaborative teams that value and leverage the diverse knowledge and skills of others to contribute to the development of adaptable, transformative, and sustainable courses of action in complex contemporary environments.

Social, Ethical and Cultural Understanding (SEC)

5.1 Demonstrate and apply knowledge of ethical and legal principles and practices of business, to contribute to responsible organisational governance and citizenship in local, national, global, and virtual business environments.

5.2 Apply knowledge and skills to demonstrate, interpret and critically reflect on, appropriate culturally, socially and ecologically inclusive and responsible decisions and actions across complex, diverse social and cultural contexts.

Learning Approaches

In this fully online unit, asynchronous delivery will offer flexible, on-demand learning that supports diverse student needs, particularly those balancing study with professional or personal commitments.

Key components include pre-recorded mini-lectures or explainer videos on core topics such as leadership frameworks or financial analysis, discussion board activities that promote dialogue on curated themes, and self-paced case study analyses that encourage independent thinking and application of concepts. This approach allows students to engage deeply with materials at their own pace, revisit complex ideas as needed, and develop critical reflection skills. While learning is self-directed, students are supported through regular tutor interactions, opportunities for formative feedback, and ongoing engagement in discussion forums. This blend of flexibility and support fosters both academic development and a strong connection to the learning community.

Students are expected to work independently through carefully prepared curated resources in the form of asynchronous modules. These activities in these modules may include:

  • Online discussions
  • Readings
  • Learning activities
  • Digital practices for creating professional resources.

You are responsible for your academic progression through this unit. Unit staff will provide a learning environment designed to maximise your learning experience. To realise your full potential, it is strongly recommended that you actively participate in all the learning activities offered in this unit. You should expect to spend on average 15 hours per week, attending scheduled classes, working through asynchronous modules, preparing for and completing assessment tasks as well as in independent study to consolidate your learning.

 

 The unit will provide access to the latest in thinking from expert facilitators and subject matter experts from within QUT and industry.  It will incorporate reflective practice, collaborative learning approaches using global case studies and small group presentations.  Learning will be contextualised through use of specific sector and skill-based insights to maximise transference of learning through authentic application to professional context.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Students will receive a variety of formative feedback throughout this unit. 
Informally, feedback will be given through online discussions threads.

Direct feedback will be available to those students who request a private or group consultation session with the lecturer.

Formal feedback will be received on summative assessment tasks through a Criterion Reference Assessment sheet which will also include written feedback on the assessment task. 

The Criterion Reference Assessment Sheet will be available in the unit Canvas site at the commencement of the unit. Students will receive feedback on their formative assessment task prior to their summative assessment task being submitted.

Assessment

Overview

This unit assesses AI strategy skills through a best practice presentation (40%) and a final report (60%) aligning AI insights with organisational goals, demonstrating critical application of AI for strategic transformation and leadership in real-world business contexts.

Gen AI  tools may be used ethically and responsibly.  Students may use generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools to prepare for, generate and refine content for this assessment task. AI-generated content may be inaccurate, unreliable, or biased. It is each student's responsibility to critically evaluate any information used.Students must clearly acknowledge and appropriately reference any AI-generated content following the guidance in Cite | Write

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Presentation

This assessment requires students to present best practice AI implementations and demonstrate how AI insights align with organisational resources, goals, and strategy for transformational impact. This assessment requires students to deliver a concise and compelling presentation that showcases best practice examples of AI implementation globally and demonstrates how AI-derived insights can be effectively aligned with their organisation’s specific resources, strategic goals, and broader transformation objectives. Students are expected to engage critically with AI concepts and advocate for AI investment in a way that supports meaningful organisational impact.

Postgraduate (AoL goals): HO 2.1, PC 3.1, 3.2, SEC 5.1

If a group member is approved for an academic concession under QUT’s Student Academic Concessions Policy, the concession applies only to that student. The unit coordinator will determine appropriate adjustments to ensure fair assessment for all group members.

Weight: 40
Length: 5 minutes with 2-3 minutes of Q&A
Individual/Group: Either group or individual
Due (indicative): Week 5 - Consolidation Week
Related Unit learning outcomes: 1, 2, 3

Assessment: Final Report

This assessment is designed to ensure learners demonstrate the learning outcomes through the creation of Final Report that aligns with their organisation's strategic goals and resources. The report must showcase the learner’s ability to critically apply AI concepts and frameworks introduced throughout the course, with a focus on aligning AI-driven insights to their organisation’s specific strategic goals and available resources.

Learners will be expected to integrate global best practice examples, contextualise AI opportunities and challenges within their industry, and propose a tailored, actionable AI strategy that supports transformational change. This exercise reinforces both theoretical understanding and practical application, preparing learners to lead AI initiatives with strategic clarity.

Postgraduate (AoL goals): KS 1.1, HO 2.1, 2.2 PC 3.1, 3.2, SL 4.1, 4.2, SEC 5.2

Weight: 60
Individual/Group: Individual
Due (indicative): Week 10 - Assignment Week
Related Unit learning outcomes: 4, 5

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.

The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Resources

Resources to support your learning including contemporary industry and academic journal articles, podcasts, and videos will be provided.

Resource Materials

Reference book(s)

Campos Zabala, F. J. (2023). Introduction to AI and its role in business. In Grow Your Business with AI: A First Principles Approach for Scaling Artificial Intelligence in the Enterprise (First edition, 2023, pp. 113–136).

Gudigantala, N., Madhavaram, S., & Bicen, P. (2023). An AI decision‐making framework for business value maximization. AI Magazine, 44(1), 67–84. https://doi.org/10.1002/aaai.12076

McElhaney, K. A., Smith, G., Rustagi, I., & Groth, O. (2022). Responsible AI: tackling tech’s largest corporate governance challenges. The Berkeley-Haas Case Series. University of California, Berkeley. Haas School of Business.

Risk Assessment Statement

There are no out-of-the-ordinary risks associated with lectures or tutorials in this unit.