Goldman Integrates AI Into University Curriculum

Prof. Claudia V. Goldman has established a distinct approach to integrating artificial intelligence into higher education at the Hebrew University Business School in Jerusalem. Since joining the Data Science Department as an associate professor in July 2024, she has focused on using AI to solve practical, real-world problems rather than treating the technology as an abstract concept. Her background as a researcher and industry leader informs her teaching, emphasizing that students must understand the mechanics and limitations of these tools to use them effectively in their careers.

Goldman’s path to the classroom reflects a blend of academic rigor and private sector application. Born in Argentina, she moved to Israel in January 1984 at the age of 16. After graduating from Mae Boyer High School in 1986 and serving in the army, she completed her undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degrees in computer science at the Hebrew University. Her PhD, completed in 1999 under the supervision of Prof. Jeff Rosenschein, laid the foundation for a career that would span both academia and major corporate research divisions.

Before returning to full-time academia, Goldman spent nearly two decades in the private sector. She held research positions at Bar-Ilan University and the University of Massachusetts Amherst before moving into industry. She served as a team leader at Samsung Telecom Research in Herzliya for three years and later spent 15 years as a research scientist in General Motors’ research and development organization. During this time, she developed learning agents for vehicle user experiences, helping drivers focus on the road while understanding autonomous driving functions. Her work has resulted in 24 patents and more than 50 academic publications.

In her current role, Goldman teaches students how to navigate the ethical and practical aspects of AI use. She explicitly defines when and why students may employ AI tools, requiring them to credit the technology and explain their process. She does not accept fully AI-generated answers and informs students that she can detect such work. Instead, she encourages a collaborative approach where students brainstorm with AI but remain critical, checking for bias and verifying the existence of cited sources.

Her evaluation methods are designed to assess genuine understanding through in-person interaction. She uses a mix of classwork, presentations, and peer-organized activities to measure student knowledge. The curriculum also addresses human responsibility and values, prompting discussions about what kind of professional and person students aim to be. This holistic approach aligns with the Business School’s broader offerings, which include courses on AI for Social Good, Responsible AI, and the intersection of AI with society.

Goldman also engages with broader debates on the future of work. When asked about Bill Gates’s concept of reserving certain jobs for humans, she argued that the issue is not a simple binary. Instead, she emphasized the importance of understanding the specific benefits AI brings to different roles and identifying the critical skills needed to enhance human performance in those contexts. This perspective reflects a limited government, free enterprise view where workers adapt to new tools rather than being protected from them.

Her personal history also highlights a strong commitment to family and community. Her grandparents arrived in Argentina before the Holocaust, and she was their only child. She attended a Jewish school in Buenos Aires through seventh grade, studying in Yiddish, Hebrew, and Spanish. In 1983, she told her father that Israel was the only place she could see herself growing up, and the family made aliyah six months later. She met her husband, Prof. Roy Shenhar, on the Givat Ram campus in 1995 and married him in 1999.

As the fall semester begins, Goldman continues to shape the next generation of data scientists. The Hebrew University’s Free Listener Program also allows senior citizens to audit courses, broadening the reach of this practical education. Goldman’s work illustrates how personal responsibility and technical expertise can combine to prepare individuals for a rapidly changing technological landscape.