Shan takes on new role as Director for AI Initiatives at FSB
New role highlights growing impact, future of artificial intelligence in higher education
Shan takes on new role as Director for AI Initiatives at FSB
The Farmer School of Business has added a new director role to address the growing uses of artificial intelligence in the higher education learning landscape.
Zhe “Jay” Shan, associate professor of Information Systems and Analytics, is the inaugural Director of AI Initiatives at FSB, Farmer School dean Jenny Darroch announced.
“This appointment marks a significant step forward in our strategy to position FSB — and our students — at the forefront of AI-driven business education and research,” Darroch said. “His vision, energy, and collaborative spirit will be key to our success as we embrace the opportunities and challenges that AI presents to business and society.”
As Director of AI Initiatives, Shan will lead and coordinate efforts across several critical areas, including:
- AI curriculum and program development
- Faculty and student training
- AI-related research and grants
- Co-curricular programming and speaker series
- External and industry partnerships
Shan emphasized that while his title is new, the initiative itself has deep roots. “We have been running an AI initiative within the ISA department since 2019, long before ChatGPT launched,” he said. “The ISA initiative was co-founded by retired professor T. M. Rajkumar and later joined by Allison Farmer and Fadel Megahed. Sponsored by several Dolibois grants and department funds, this faculty advocacy group brought in expert speakers for hands-on workshops, hosted annual AI symposiums with industry leaders, and organized an AI luncheon series for faculty knowledge-sharing. So we have a solid foundation to expand into a school-wide initiative and make a broader impact.”
Shan, along with colleagues across the division such as Fadel Megahed, Arthur Carvalho, James Zhang, Lisa Kuhn, and others, has long integrated AI into classroom instruction. For example, Megahed developed an AI chatbot over the past two years to assist students with coding; it has since expanded to offer project coaching, exam preparation, and interview practice. Zhang incorporated a GenAI case into his accounting capstone course, while Kuhn led a workshop with marketing faculty on leveraging AI for content creation.
Shan views the formalization of the initiative as a timely opportunity to prepare students, faculty, and the entire Farmer community for an AI-transformed business landscape. “We need to teach students how to use current and emerging AI tools responsibly and effectively. They need a framework to understand and navigate the rapidly changing environment,” he said. “AI is a double-edged sword: it can significantly accelerate student learning, but if misused, it may lead to severe de-skilling. Therefore, it is critical to educate students on how to recognize emerging opportunities and develop the skills necessary to seize them. For this reason, we must provide faculty with all the necessary support to transform their teaching in the AI era.”
He emphasized that the Farmer School is already rich with AI expertise across all units of the division. “We have faculty champions innovating in classrooms, conducting impactful research, and engaging with industry across disciplines,” he said. “Now is the time to bring all these efforts together; learning from each other, supporting one another, and aligning our goals. Moreover, it’s essential that we get everyone on board. Gaining broad support and iterating based on feedback are equally vital. We must engage everyone, listen actively to all participants and stakeholders, and refine our approach quickly and thoughtfully. With a shared vision and open collaboration, we can build something truly transformative.”
As director, Shan said he is eager to serve as a coordinator, advocate, supporter, and facilitator for AI education, research, and innovation within the Farmer School. “This initiative will serve as a central hub to attract essential resources, establish best practices, foster cross-disciplinary collaborations, and expand opportunities for faculty,” he said. “By setting a clear strategic direction and building momentum, we can unify our efforts and advance together."
