Orientation Guide: AI Essentials for Business

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Welcome to AI Essentials for Business!

Our team is delighted to welcome you to the cohort and looks forward to getting started soon! Read on to view key program dates, learn details about earning the certificate, and review technology requirements and support channels to ensure your success in the program.

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Accessing Your Course

You will receive an email from the HBS Online team on Wednesday, April 8, between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time, with a unique link to access the course. In the week prior to the start of the program, you can expect a couple of emails from the HBS Online Engagement team with tips for getting started and planning for a successful course experience.

In AI Essentials for Business, you complete the coursework on your own time while meeting the required deadline. There is no set time to log in. All course material is delivered through our innovative online platform; there are no additional materials required. Learn more about what you can expect to see when you log in to the online platform where learning is active, social, and case-based.

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Program Overview

AI Essentials for Business, taught by professors Karim Lakhani and Marco Iansiti, consists of approximately 15-25 hours of material delivered over a period of four weeks. AI Essentials for Business is an immersive online course crafted to empower professionals in guiding their organizations through the dynamic landscape of digital transformation. Participants will delve into vital topics, from crafting digital-first strategies to navigating the ethical complexities inherent in leveraging data and algorithms within your organization.

View Calendar

View Syllabus (PDF)

— Modules: Things to Know —

The course is broken down into 4 modules, and a two-part Synthesis Activity assignment. All coursework must be completed by 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, May 6. It is your responsibility to convert this deadline to your local time zone as needed. We recommend spending approximately 4-6 hours per module or module part, each of which opens upon completion of the previous module or part. You may also reference our Synthesis Activity Guide for more detailed information about the Synthesis Activity assignment.

HBS Online has a process by which you may request an exception to our course policies due to extreme circumstances and life emergencies. Please see more details in our Do I qualify for an exception to your policies? section on our Support Portal.

— Disability Accommodations Information —

Harvard Business School Online welcomes participants of all backgrounds and abilities. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA), a person is considered to have a disability if that individual (1) has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, (2) has a record of having such an impairment, or (3) is regarded as having such an impairment.

If you are looking to apply for disability accommodations for your course, please first review our Requesting a Disability Accommodations article. Active communication is essential to our accommodations process. Late notification may result in a delay or inability to fulfill a request as, generally, retroactive requests will not be approved.

Should you have questions, please contact the Accommodations Team as soon as possible and they will be happy to assist you.

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Earning Your Certificate

To earn the certificate, you must meet all of the following requirements, which are outlined in further detail in the AI Essentials for Business Certificate of Completion Requirements.

— Timely & Thoughtful Completion of All Coursework by the Required Deadline —

All work in each module and the Synthesis Activity assignment must be completed by the required deadline as indicated on the course calendar.

Though we do not expect that participants will always be able to provide a correct response to every question, you are expected to answer in your own words and to the best of your ability, which is an essential component of the HBS Online learning process. Skipping questions by providing insufficient responses such as Yes, Okay, or other one-word responses is considered incomplete participation. Citations are expected to be applied to your responses whenever you include outside information that is not from your personal knowledge, such as a website or Generative AI. This includes facts, statistics, definitions, and company information such as descriptions, earnings, and accounts. Please review the HBS Citation Guide for assistance with citing your sources. Improper citations or unauthorized use of Generative AI are considered a violation of the HBS Online Honor Code and are strictly prohibited. For more information regarding responses, properly cited sources, and acceptable Generative AI use, please consult the Academic Honesty Guidelines page.

— Active Engagement and Contributions —

We expect you to engage with your peers to uphold the social components of the course. Throughout the course you may comment on other participants' postings, post to Peer Help to ask questions, and engage with your peers' posts. To foster a supportive online learning environment, you must uphold the HBS Online Community Values throughout AI Essentials for Business.

— Certificate Eligibility —

Certificate eligibility is determined within 30 days of the final course deadline. Certificates are available in digital and printed formats. Please visit our Certificate Guidelines page for a detailed overview of the certificate process, and our Certificates, Credentials, & Credits page to see what your certificate will look like.

For courses starting after January 1, 2026, HBS Online will provide learners with a free digital Certificate of Completion only. Learners who prefer a printed certificate will have the option to purchase one with tracked shipping via UPS through our certificate vendor, the Michael Sutter Company (MSC).

Participants who complete a credential program—including the Credential of Digital Innovation and Strategy, Credential of Leadership Impact and Management in Business (CLIMB), and Credential of Readiness (CORe)—will receive a free digital credential and free printed credential shipped via first-class United States Postal Service (USPS). Those pursuing a Learning Track will also get a free digital and free printed Certificate of Specialization, but digital-only versions of each Certificate of Completion they earn. CLIMB and Credential of Digital Innovation and Strategy participants also receive digital-only versions for each Certificate of Completion they earn during their programs. Your free printed certificate may take eight weeks or more to arrive, and no tracking information is available.

To note: If you started your course before January 1, 2026, you’ll still receive a free digital and free printed copy of your Certificate of Completion. For those enrolled in CLIMB, if you begin an elective before January 1, 2026, you'll receive both versions of your Certificate of Completion. If you begin it after, you will receive digital-only versions of each Certificate of Completion you earn.

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Technology and Support

Please review our technology requirements before the course begins. Throughout the program, you'll have access to your peers for support and networking. In addition, you can always count on the HBS Online Support Team for any questions you may have. In order to ensure you stay up-to-date with announcements and information, please make sure HBSOnlineSupport@email.online.hbs.edu is added to your safe sender list and/or address book. We will be in touch with reminder emails that outline module release dates, deadlines, and special announcements.

Supported Devices
Courses on our course platform are designed to work on an internet-connected desktop or notebook computer. We highly recommend a reliable internet connection for the rich media content on the platform. Tablets and smartphones are not supported.

Supported Browsers
Be sure to access the course using an updated version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. Please note that a broadband internet connection is highly recommended to access the rich media in the program.

Peer-to-Peer Learning
Use the Peer Help tool in the course to engage with your peers as you ask and answer questions about the course concepts.

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Withdrawals and Refunds

You may request a withdrawal with refund up to 24 hours after the start of the program. To request a withdrawal with refund, log in to your account with us and select “Change Program Status” for the relevant program. You may request an enrollment deferral at any time before your program starts, and up to one week after the start of your program. You may only defer once. If you have previously deferred, you will not be eligible for an additional deferral or a refund.

If your organization paid for your enrollment or you received a discount through your organization, you may not defer or receive a refund. If you wish to withdraw, please contact the appropriate representative at your organization and they will inform HBS Online. If you pay for the program yourself and intend to ask your organization for reimbursement, you are still eligible for deferrals and refunds.

We encourage you to log in to your program as soon as it starts to confirm it will be a good fit for your learning needs. Please view our full program policies for further information.

View Program Policies

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A Note About Faculty and Guest Experts

Our courses have been developed by some of the most renowned HBS faculty and guest business experts. While you will not have direct, real-time interactions with faculty and experts, you will hear from them throughout the course via short videos that explain key concepts and guide you through cases, exercises, and other interactive learning elements. As much as we expect you to learn from faculty and experts through this highly engaging learning environment, we expect you to learn as much (if not more) from your own thoughtful participation and from your peers. Additionally, please note that all HBS Online faculty and experts featured in our courses are not available to communicate with learners directly or participate in learner-organized events. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to beginning your program!

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Take Your Learning a Step Further

Learning Tracks enable you to immerse yourself in a particular subject area and develop deeper insights and expertise to take your career to the next level. Those who successfully complete three courses from their selected Learning Track within 18 months will earn a Certificate of Specialization.

Are you interested in this immersive offering? Visit our FAQ page to learn more about Learning Tracks.

Still can't find what you're looking for? Please refer to the HBS Online FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions), or visit the HBS Online Support Portal for any questions, comments, or concerns about your Harvard Business School Online experience.

Site Map

Orientation Guide

—— Welcome to AI Essentials for Business!

—— Accessing Your Course

—— Program Overview