So many exciting developments are happening in the world of AI! Yet, caught up in our daily work and studies, we often miss out on learning about these advancements. I've gathered several fascinating resources I recently came across and wanted to share them with you. Take some time to explore these in your free time:

1. How AI is Redefining Drug Discovery - Pfizer’s Chief Scientific Officer explains how AI is accelerating drug discovery, molecular design, and vaccine development. He explains how AI combined with human intelligence (HI), is shrinking development timelines, reducing costs, and unlocking new possibilities in drug design. From Pfizer’s Paxlovid to emerging RNA vaccines, Mikael highlights real-world applications where AI is making an impact. They discuss large quantitative models (LQMs) that go beyond the capabilities of LLMs for deeper impact at scale. Check out this article for more

2. Vertical AI Agents Could Be 10X Bigger Than SaaS - Y Combinator venture capitalists discuss what effect vertical AI agents will have on incumbent SaaS companies, what use cases make the most sense, and how there could be 300 billion dollar companies in this category alone

3. Why agents are the next frontier of generative AI - insightful article by McKinsey about agentic GenAI tools and why they are next big things with discussion of use cases in finance, coding and marketing

4. AI trends for 2025 - look at the 10 biggest AI trends expected to shape the coming year by IBM

5. The Leader’s Guide to Transforming with AI - how firms are finding value in AI and what are the best use cases by BCG

Real-Life Experience While at School

One of the big targets I had coming into my MBA program was to gain real-life consulting experience at Duke. However, last year I decided against it because of feedback I received from second-year students who were dissatisfied with their projects or teams. During the summer, while doing my internship at BCG, I received an email from a project coordinator inviting me to become a manager for Master of Management Studies students over 12 weeks. This time, it felt different.

My internship was full of learning opportunities—owning the project, being responsible for my output and time, communicating with clients and management, becoming more efficient, and managing stress in a high-stakes environment. I was developing as a professional but realized that to progress further, I needed to improve my communication skills, develop people management abilities, trust the people I lead, delegate tasks while owning their outcomes, set up effective timelines, scope projects, negotiate, and keep the team motivated.

The Fuqua Client Consulting Practicum (FCCP) Engagement Manager role focused exactly on these skills. Over the last six weeks, I was paired with another student to work with Fidelity Investments (the 3rd largest asset management firm with over $15 trillion in assets under management) to help them better understand the needs of retirement account holders in the higher education and healthcare sectors. Looking back, I can confidently say we learned a lot—developing project objectives, forming hypotheses, defining day-one answers, setting assumptions, creating work plans for students, and preparing ghost decks, to name a few.

In the next six weeks, I will begin managing two teams with a total of 10 students (half of whom are in student government) to assist with the client project. My key learning objectives now include keeping them motivated, managing up with the client and down with the students, helping students with their analyses, unlearning micromanagement, mentoring, and providing constructive feedback.

Hey channel,

Ever struggled to negotiate a better salary, win a scholarship, close a business deal, or even get a good deal on a car? Whether it’s high-stakes corporate acquisitions or everyday negotiations, mastering the art of negotiation is essential. You should seriously consider reading negotiation books, learning from peers, regularly practicing key tactics, or taking a class if your school or job offers one. This fall, I did all. Now, I’d like to share my reflections with you:

The core idea of the negotiations centers around 4 important principles you should follow:

1. Separate the People from the Problem: Recognize that emotions, perceptions, and communication can cloud negotiation. Address the human issues separately from the substantive issues. Be soft on people and hard on problems
   2. Focus on Interests, Not Positions: Positions are what people say they want; interests are why they want it. Digging into underlying interests can uncover solutions that satisfy both sides.
2. Invent Options for Mutual Gain: Brainstorming multiple options can lead to creative solutions that benefit both parties. Don’t lock into a single solution too early.
   4. Insist on Using Objective Criteria: Decisions should be based on fair standards, such as market value, legal precedent, or expert opinions, rather than the will of either party.

Let’s imagine you have to negotiate with someone more powerful. What should you do? Best practices suggest:

a. Know Your BATNA: Your Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement (BATNA) is your fallback plan. It is the most advantageous alternative action you can take if negotiations fail. If the negotiation doesn't work out, what will you do? The stronger your BATNA, the more confident and secure you will feel. Even if the other party is more powerful, knowing your alternatives can protect you from accepting a deal that is too unfavorable. You can ask so how can you strengthen your BATNA:

i. Identify all your alternatives.
ii. Improve your alternatives where possible (e.g., get another job offer if negotiating salary).
iii. Choose the best of those alternatives as your BATNA.

b. Don’t Reveal Your Weakness: If your BATNA is weak, avoid revealing it unless you have to. Instead, focus on the merits of the negotiation to keep the conversation fair.

c. Ask Questions and Probe for Their Interests: Even powerful negotiators have interests. By understanding their deeper interests, you can find areas where they may be willing to compromise or collaborate.

d. Form Alliances: Sometimes, you can balance power by forming alliances with others who share similar interests or objectives. This gives you collective strength in the negotiation.

If you want to learn more I highly recommend reading the book by two Harvard professors "Getting to Yes" and regularly practice those techniques. Stay tuned—I’ll be sharing more insights on negotiation in the future posts.

Why Decision Models Might Be Fuqua's Hidden Gem?
Have you ever spent days over the perfect number of guests for your wedding? Believe it or not, decision models can help! I recently finished Decision Models at Fuqua, and it completely transformed how I approach choices, big and small. While it demanded twice as much time investment compared to other classes, the breadth of knowledge and practical applications made it incredibly rewarding.

Professor David Brown started us off with decision trees, a tool Warren Buffet uses in his everyday thinking process. We then progressed to tackling complex problems like:

- optimizing exchange rates to minimize transaction costs,
- calculating the value of the information in oil well exploration process
- settling down in the court over patent infringement
- valuing options using Monte Carlo simulations
- even creating a Sudoku solver and optimizing calories in McDonalds for given budget!

One particularly impactful lesson involved building a kidney exchange model, which uses algorithms to match compatible donors with patients in need. It was inspiring to see how decision models can have a real-world impact on people's lives. Not only did I win $100 in the first class by applying decision theory (true story!), but I also gained valuable skills that will benefit me far beyond Fuqua.