The journey to INSEAD's PhD Programme in Decision Sciences was shaped by an insatiable curiosity and a drive to explore the intersection of artificial intelligence, human decision-making, and operations.
Stefanos’ academic path began in engineering, where he specialised in AI and data science. After completing his master’s degree, he spent two years as an entrepreneur, working with data-driven solutions. However, the rapidly evolving AI landscape, coupled with his passion for research, drew him back into academia.“
I realised that learning never stops,” he explains. “With AI advancing at an unprecedented pace, I wanted to be at the forefront of research, exploring not just how we build these systems, but how they interact with human decision-making.”
Stefanos chose INSEAD because of its unique Decision Sciences department—one of the few business school programmes that bring together researchers from diverse fields such as psychology, sociology, economics, and engineering.“
INSEAD stands out because it integrates different disciplines. Engineers learn from sociologists, psychologists gain quantitative insights, and business researchers explore human behaviour through experimental methods,” he says. “It’s a place where you don’t just learn to build models—you learn how to apply them in ways that matter to society.”
One of the defining features of INSEAD’s PhD Programme is its global reach. With campuses in Europe and Asia, and an academic alliance with Wharton in the U.S., Stefanos has had the opportunity to collaborate with researchers across continents.“
The INSEAD-Wharton Alliance has been instrumental in my research. One of my key projects on human interaction is done entirely with Wharton faculty, and I’m the only INSEAD student on the team,” he shares. “Very few institutions offer this level of cross-disciplinary and cross-institutional collaboration.”
Stefanos’ research focuses on how AI influences human decision-making, particularly in environments where algorithms provide recommendations. He is particularly interested in the balance between augmenting human performance and mitigating risks.“
We’re at a critical moment in history where AI is not just assisting humans but in some cases replacing decision-making roles. The real question is: how do we build AI systems that support, rather than substitute, human intelligence?” he explains.
His work examines how AI-generated advice impacts human behaviour, exploring ways to design algorithms that enhance decision-making without introducing biases or over-reliance on technology.
Stefanos sees AI’s rapid development as both an opportunity and a challenge. He compares the rise of generative AI to the advent of nuclear technology—powerful tools that can be transformative but also carry significant risks.“
We’ve essentially opened Pandora’s box. AI is already out there, and people will use it whether we like it or not. The key challenge now is ensuring it aligns with human values and serves society’s best interests,” he warns.
He points out that while companies invest heavily in AI development, very few allocate resources to studying its social and ethical implications.“
If you look at major AI firms, they have hundreds of engineers working on optimisation and performance but only a handful of researchers studying AI’s societal impact. That’s a huge gap,” he says. “Business schools are uniquely positioned to bridge this divide, ensuring that AI development isn’t just technologically advanced but also ethically responsible.”
For those considering a PhD at INSEAD, Stefanos emphasises the importance of curiosity, persistence, and a passion for interdisciplinary learning.“
The ideal PhD candidate is someone who loves to ask questions. It’s not about having all the answers—it’s about being relentless in exploring the unknown,” he says. “In business schools, especially in Decision Sciences, you need to be comfortable working across different fields and learning from multiple disciplines.”
As he nears the final stages of his PhD, Stefanos remains committed to pushing the boundaries of AI and decision-making research. He hopes to continue collaborating with global institutions and policymakers to ensure AI is developed in a way that benefits both businesses and society.“
AI is reshaping economies, industries, and human behavior in ways we don’t fully understand yet. That’s what makes this research so exciting,” he says. “We have a responsibility as researchers to anticipate the challenges ahead and ensure that these technologies are used responsibly.”
At INSEAD, Stefanos has found more than just an academic institution—he has found a global platform to explore, question, and redefine the future of AI and decision sciences.