N.C. A&T Professor Marries AI with Music to Help Students Master Macroeconomics

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (March 4, 2026) – From artificial intelligence-generated lyrics to original music tracks, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University students are transforming complex macroeconomic theory into songs.

Scott Simkins, Ph.D., a professor in the Willie A. Deese College of Business and Economics, is modernizing how students learn and apply economic concepts while practicing responsible AI use.

“We help students learn to use AI, to help develop the ideas, models and connections as an extension and compliment to their thinking, rather than a substitute for their thinking,” said Simkins.

Since 2022, Simkins has championed the responsible use of AI on campus, leading a faculty learning community that helps instructors explore practical ways to integrate the technology into their teaching. He was inspired by a campus visit last year by Nolan Gasser, world-renowned composer, pianist, musicologist and co-creator of Pandora, whose presentation examined the intersection of data science, music and the future of AI.

Building on that inspiration, Simkins created an exam extra-credit assignment in which students used AI tools like ChatGPT for lyric generation and Suno for music production to create original songs explaining the Federal Reserve’s current monetary policy dilemma.

Incorporating macroeconomic models studied in class, their songs explore key issues like a government shutdown and economic topics debated during the December Federal Open Market Committee meeting.

The students incorporated their personalities into the songs, producing colorful pieces across a range of musical styles. Their songs translate complex economic concepts into creative and accessible explanations.

“It's a bedrock learning outcome for me in my classes, for students to be able to connect economic theory, economic models and concepts to the real world,” said Simkins.

Simkins’ innovative teaching methods gained national attention and earned him a feature on Marketplace, a nationally syndicated business and economics radio program and podcast hosted by Kai Ryssdal, reaching millions of listeners worldwide.

As Simkins continues to incorporate other forms of AI in his courses to create engaging assignments and learning opportunities, he hopes other faculty will consider AI as a way to enhance student learning.

“I want students to be able to learn AI skills and how to use them responsibly, and effectively because that is a job skill that's required today,” he said. “If we don't do that in our courses, our students are going to be disadvantaged.”

Below are links to a selection of songs created by Simkins and his students:

• "The Fed’s Big Balancing Act"
• “Rates on My Mind”
• "Fed at the Crossroads"
• "LM Dreams (The Fed's Vice)"
• "December Dilemma"
• "Tightrope at the Fed"
• "December Crossroads"
• “Rates in the Balance”