Bridging the AI Knowledge Gap: Meet Professor Rachel Chung, William & Mary’s Innovation Leader in Business Analytics

In an era where artificial intelligence dominates headlines but often breeds confusion, Professor Tingting (Rachel) Chung offers clarity. As an associate clinical professor of operations and information systems at William & Mary’s Raymond A. Mason School of Business, she’s not just teaching business analytics—she’s an innovator transforming how professionals understand and harness the power of AI.

Read on to learn more about Professor Chung’s expertise and how she’s making a difference in the lives of her students at William & Mary and the greater public.

Professor Chung’s academic background is as impressive as it is unique. With two Ph.D. degrees—one in business administration/management information systems and another in psychology—plus a master of science in information science, all from the University of Pittsburgh, she brings a multidimensional perspective to the complex world of business analytics and AI.

Perhaps what sets Professor Chung apart is her remarkable ability to demystify complex technological concepts. “Even though AI buzzwords proliferate in everyday news, it’s amazing how few business professionals can actually explain what an AI model is, or how neural networks differ from deep learning,” she noted. This observation led her to develop innovative teaching methods, including co-authoring “AI The Magic Box,” an illustrated activity book that breaks down complex AI concepts for young learners.

The book aims to teach children and adults alike about AI so that everyone can understand how AI works. Professor Chung believes that everyone, especially every child growing up as AI natives, should learn how AI works before cultivating the skills to critically evaluate AI’s strengths and weaknesses. Through the activity book, AI buzzwords and concepts become much easier to understand. Readers comfortable with addition and multiplication follow an engaging story to learn artificial neural networks and deep learning using a math-based approach. The book is part of Professor Chung’s broader effort to make digital and AI literacy accessible to everyone, including adults who are curious about how AI works. “AI isn’t just coding, or for computer science PhDs only — it’s for everyone, and everyone can learn if the concepts are explained using words and analogies that are familiar and easy to understand,” she said.

At William & Mary’s Mason School of Business, Professor Chung teaches on campus and in the Online Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) program, where she brings her expertise in cognitive computing and enterprise analytics to the classroom. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes hands-on learning and practical understanding over theoretical knowledge alone.

This approach was showcased during the 2024 Fall Residency Weekend, where Professor Chung led an intensive AI-powered business solutions workshop. “I’m grateful that these accomplished and curious professionals are willing to sit down with me and just draw neurons and neural networks patiently by hand so we can truly understand what AI is,” she shared, highlighting her commitment to ensuring her students gain a deep, practical understanding of AI concepts.

Professor Chung’s contributions to the field have not gone unnoticed. Her accolades include:

• Four Faculty Excellence Awards from William & Mary’s Mason School of Business (2019-2024)
• IBM Faculty Award in Cognitive Computing (2016)
• The Community Partner of the Year Award from Houston Methodist Hospital on behalf of INFORMS (2019)

Her research, published in prestigious journals such as “Communications of the ACM,” “Journal of the Association for Information Systems” and “International Journal of Production Economics,” has been supported by the Association for Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) Foundation and the National Security Agency (NSA).

Professor Chung’s influence extends beyond William & Mary’s campus. As a visiting scholar at Vietnam National University’s International School and an advisory board member for Penn State University’s National Science Foundation-funded project on Big Data Education, she brings a global perspective to her teaching and research. Her involvement in co-hosting the 2023 and 2024 Women in AI and Finance Workshop/Reception at the ACM International Conference on AI and Finance further demonstrates her commitment to gender equity in professions of AI and business analytics. Thanks to a W&M Society 1918 grant, Professor Chung brought a current MSBA student and three MSBA alumni to the workshop with her in November 2024.

What truly distinguishes Professor Chung is her ability to create transformative learning experiences. During the AI-powered business solutions sessions held at Residency Weekend, she described the experience as being “full of magical aha moments, intense worksheets and very confusing matrices!” Online business students visiting campus for the weekend discovered how easy it was to understand probabilities with Professor Chung’s candy jars, and to put her lecture on AI into practice by building their own “Zestimate,” which is Zillow’s tool that estimates a home’s value. They also received a copy of “AI The Magic Box.”

Professor Chung made learning AI algorithms fun with chocolate, music, jewelry and the “AI The Magic Box” book, which is simply a cuter but scientifically accurate version of materials Professor Chung uses for teaching graduate students. Each of the Residency weekend students received a complimentary copy of the book.

It’s this combination of rigorous academic content and engaging teaching style that makes her classes and lectures both challenging and rewarding.

Under the guidance of faculty members like Professor Chung, William & Mary’s business analytics programs prepare professionals not just to understand AI, but to lead in an AI-driven business world. She also impacts students beyond the MSBA program, taking the Online MBA and Online Master of Science in Marketing students through these concepts at Residency Weekend. “I am proud to announce that the world now has 79 more certified organic and naturally intelligent humans who can explain how AI works!” she shared while reflecting on the weekend.

Professor Chung exemplifies William & Mary’s commitment to excellence in business education. Through her innovative teaching methods, extensive research and genuine passion for student success, she’s helping to shape the next generation of business leaders who will navigate and harness the power of AI with confidence and expertise.

For prospective students considering William & Mary’s online business programs, studying under faculty members like Professor Chung means learning from professionals who can make complex concepts accessible and applicable to real-world business challenges.

Learn what William & Mary’s online business programs can do for you by connecting with a helpful admissions outreach advisor.