UC Irvine’s AI Innovation Course: A Hands-On Approach to AI Education and Entrepreneurship
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping industries, careers, and business strategies. As AI’s influence continues to grow, UC Irvine’s ANTrepreneur Center took a proactive step in preparing students for this evolving landscape with the launch of the AI Innovation Course—a program that seamlessly integrates education, entrepreneurship, and competition to provide students with hands-on experience in AI applications.
Offered during Fall Quarter 2024, the AI Innovation Course was an interdisciplinary, project-based course that enabled students to explore real-world AI tools, develop innovative business ideas, and showcase their work at the AI Innovation Final Demo Day. With a strong emphasis on practical implementation and collaboration, this course equipped students with AI skills to support productivity and new business ideas.
What is the AI Innovation Course?
The AI Innovation Course was an immersive program that offered students an opportunity to gain hands-on experience with AI tools, apply AI in entrepreneurial contexts, and develop business solutions using AI-powered technologies. As AI rapidly transforms industries, it is essential for students to not only understand AI theoretically but also have practical experience in leveraging AI for innovation and problem-solving. The AI Innovation Course was developed to bridge the gap between AI knowledge and its application in entrepreneurial ventures, preparing students for the AI-driven workforce.
Structured as a one-unit course, the course allowed students to earn credit while engaging in an open-ended, exploratory learning environment. Students were encouraged to experiment with AI-driven productivity tools, develop business ideas, and apply AI across different domains.
Stefani Rios, ANTrepreneur Center Program Coordinator, who helped develop and facilitate the class, emphasized the uniqueness of this structure:
“Structuring this as a one-unit course allowed students to earn an academic unit while they familiarized themselves with AI tools. Students were also given the freedom to use these tools however they wanted as they explored building new productivity tools and new business ideas. This flexibility fostered creativity, problem-solving, and interdisciplinary collaboration.”
Key Milestones
The AI Innovation Course spanned 10 weeks during the 2024 Fall quarter, with a curriculum designed to balance AI fundamentals, practical application, and business model development. Key milestones included:
- Kickoff Event at the ANTrepreneur Center
- Workshops – AI Tools & Use Cases
- Industry Panels – AI in Business & Innovation
- Ideation Sessions – Developing AI-Driven Business Ideas
- Pitch Development – Business Model Creation & Market Validation
- Final Demo Day at The Cove
Attendance at Final Demo Day was mandatory, ensuring all students had the opportunity to present their projects to industry professionals and academic leaders.
A Unique Model of Engagement
The ANTrepreneur Center is well known for its dynamic business competitions and innovation challenges. Traditionally, these events span an academic quarter and include workshops, key deliverables, and opportunities for students to earn prize money.
For the first time, the innovation challenge was reimagined as a one-unit course—designed to meet students where they are. This course-based format not only allowed participants to earn academic credit but also offered structured weekly classes featuring guest speakers, hands-on exploration of AI tools, and guidance on how to develop and pitch entrepreneurial ideas.
Instead of a traditional midterm, students submitted elevator pitches. For the final, they showcased their projects at a public Demo Day. The emphasis shifted from competition to learning and engagement. In fact, it wasn’t framed as a competition at all—any student who consistently attended class, completed the assignments, and participated in Demo Day passed the course and received a cash prize.
Ryan Foland, Director of the ANTrepreneur Center and co-creator of the course, explained the approach:
“Using a class to structure a competition was an experiment that really worked. It was exciting to see the interest across campus in AI and to be able to turn a traditional classroom experience into a friendly competition that focused on coursework completion. It was also more than just a class or competition—those who completed all deliverables received $200 in cash. Altogether, we awarded over $44,000 in prizes during the event series.”
This performance-based incentive model encouraged meaningful engagement with AI tools, reinforced learning through practical deliverables, and elevated student outcomes across the board.
Interdisciplinary Engagement
The AI Innovation Course attracted students from diverse academic backgrounds, emphasizing the growing relevance of AI across industries. The course drew participants from business, computer science, engineering, health sciences, data science, and the social sciences.
The diversity of participants fostered dynamic collaboration, enabling students to merge technical expertise with market-driven strategies, creating innovative AI solutions tailored for multiple industries.
Institutional Support and Sponsorship
Several leading UC Irvine institutions and industry partners supported the success of the AI Innovation Course, providing funding, mentorship, and AI tools to enhance the student learning experience.
Key Sponsors:
- Beall Applied Innovation – Supported entrepreneurial initiatives and AI-driven business development.
- UCI Office of Data Information and Technology – Provided financial backing and educational support, including lectures on ZotGPT, a customized large language model available for free to UC Irvine students.
- UCI Graduate Division – Reinforced the importance of AI education for graduate students.
- SparkRockets – Equipped students with AI-driven business co-pilot tools to refine their entrepreneurial projects.
Tom Andriola, Vice Chancellor of Data Information and Technology, expressed the significance of his office’s involvement:
“The Office of Data Information Technology was thrilled to be a sponsor and partner in this new and innovative approach to teaching hands-on AI experience. We were happy to support the class both financially and through lectures on how students can use ZotGPT, a customized large language model that UC Irvine has made available to students for free.”
Student Engagement & Course Outcomes
Enrollment & Retention
- 250 students enrolled at the beginning of the course.
- 243 students remained post-deadline.
- 224 students actively participated in Final Demo Day (89.6% retention rate).
- Observer attendance increased from 20 to 30, indicating growing interest in AI education.
Participation & Course Completion
- Average attendance per session: 212 students.
- 82.64% of students regularly completed coursework.
- Less than 10% missed three or more assignments.
Final Demo Day: Showcasing AI Innovation
The course culminated in the Final Demo Day where students presented their AI-powered projects to judges, industry professionals, and community members. This event provided students with a real-world platform to demonstrate their AI innovations, receive feedback from industry leaders, and explore potential startup opportunities.
Final Demo Day Highlights:
- 244 students presented their projects.
- 204 undergraduate students participated.
- 19 graduate students showcased their work.
- 1 Division of Continuing Education student joined the event.
Student Feedback & Course Impact
Students overwhelmingly praised the course, citing AI skill development, teamwork, and industry exposure as key benefits.
What Students Enjoyed Most:
📌 “Developing real-world AI projects.”
🎯 “The interactive and collaborative learning experience.”
🚀 “Working on business-oriented AI solutions.”
🤝 “Engaging group work and insightful lectures.”
Conclusion: The Future of AI Education at UC Irvine
The AI Innovation Course successfully bridged the gap between AI education and entrepreneurial application, equipping students with industry-relevant skills and hands-on experience. As AI continues to reshape the workforce, this course provided a critical foundation for students to stay ahead in their careers.
Future iterations of the course may include deeper technical instruction, expanded content offerings, and increased flexibility to further enhance student engagement and impact.
For students eager to participate in the next AI Innovation Course, stay updated by following the ANTrepreneur Center on CampusGroups and on Instagram.
Want to learn how to leverage AI to start your next business or side hustle? Then visit the ANTrepreneur Center website to learn more about programming, speaker series, Micro-Internships, funding, and more. You can also learn more about the Center’s collaborations with Blackstone LaunchPad, Tech Coast Angels, Tech Coast Venture Network, OC Startup Council, and SoCal Celebrates Entrepreneurship. Keep up with the Center’s latest news by following them on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.