Innovating with Generative Artificial Intelligence for Leaders and Managers

Steven Strauss, PhD, is a senior scholar-practitioner whose work focuses on the transformative impact of emerging technologies—especially generative artificial intelligence (GAI)—on leadership, strategy, and society. He served as the John L. Weinberg/Goldman Sachs Visiting Professor at Princeton University from 2014 to 2025, and was previously on the faculty at the Harvard Kennedy School and a Fellow at Harvard's Advanced Leadership Initiative. Strauss brings a rare combination of academic depth and hands-on leadership in business, government, and technology. At McKinsey & Company, he advised global organizations on complex strategic issues. As Managing Director for Economic Transformation at the New York City Economic Development Corporation under Mayor Michael Bloomberg, he led initiatives that helped position New York City as a global innovation hub—most notably, the Applied Sciences NYC initiative that launched the Cornell-Technion campus. A frequent commentator on technology and public policy, his work has appeared in—or he has been quoted in—publications such as USA Today, The Los Angeles Times, CNN, and The New York Times. He was named to Business Insider's Silicon Alley 100 alongside leading tech entrepreneurs. Strauss earned his PhD in management from Yale University. His teaching emphasizes real-world application, helping students build strategic insights and hands-on skills to lead in the GAI era.