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How is agentic artificial intelligence changing business processes and managerial decision-making? Our students explored this question during the Global Immersion of WFI’s Hybrid Part-Time MBA program in Silicon Valley. Accompanied by our MBA Academic Director Prof. Dr. Shashi Matta and MBA Program Manager Maximilian Bauer, they visited eight global companies, including Meta, Visa, and Oracle, and discussed current developments with executives and experts.
From Generative AI to Agentic AI
Agentic AI was a central topic throughout the Global Immersion. Generative AI primarily produces content in response to individual requests. AI agents can break down defined objectives into separate steps, use digital tools, and complete multi-stage tasks within established access permissions and oversight structures.
These capabilities raise specific questions for business leaders. Which systems should an AI agent be permitted to access? Which decisions require human approval? How can erroneous or unexpected actions be detected? Who remains accountable for the results? The discussions in Silicon Valley showed that introducing these systems requires technical expertise as well as clear provisions for oversight, security, and accountability.
Our MBA student Christoph Biedermann, who works at Audi, has already developed two AI agents of his own. For him, one of the program’s particular strengths is the exchange among students from different professional and academic backgrounds. Perspectives from engineering, medicine, and management allow the cohort to examine new technologies from several angles and relate them to different organizational settings.
What Companies Can Learn from Silicon Valley
The Global Immersion also allowed the students to compare different approaches to emerging technologies. Companies in Silicon Valley often test new applications at an early stage and refine them through practical use. Prof. Matta and Maximilian Bauer emphasized that transferring these practices to German companies requires careful adaptation to their organizational and institutional settings. Companies can nevertheless consider how faster experimentation, systematic learning, and responsible oversight can be combined more effectively.
The central lesson of the Global Immersion was to approach AI with informed managerial judgment. Companies need leaders who understand its capabilities, identify appropriate applications, and establish clear boundaries. This includes defining objectives and access permissions, critically evaluating results, and assigning explicit responsibility for AI-supported decisions.
A Mandatory Component of the WFI MBA
The Global Immersion is a mandatory component of our Hybrid Part-Time MBA program. During the week-long visit, students gain direct insights into companies from different industries and at different stages of development. The program’s small, interdisciplinary cohort enables intensive discussions and careful reflection on how technological developments can be applied within each participant’s professional context.
The Donaukurier also reported on the Global Immersion and the experiences of our MBA students. Click on the image to read the full article.
Further information and related articles
Read the full KU feature on the Global Immersion
Donaukurier article (in German): WFI students in Silicon Valley
