Research

My research lies at the intersection of technology, business, and policy, with a focus on the economics of information systems and consumer behavior on online platforms. By leveraging economic and machine learning methods, I analyze large-scale, multimodal data to provide insights into regulatory impacts on consumer behavior, explore how technology is transforming educational delivery and credentialing for students and workers, and inform strategies to drive improvements in platform design that contribute to the broader societal benefits of digital transformation.

Methodology: Causal Inference, Econometrics, Machine Learning, Natural Language Processing, Multimodal Video Analytics

Digital Credentials and Multimodal Machine Learning

• From Views to Value: A Multimodal Analysis of Video Engagement and Learning Outcomes in Online Education
  Yi-Yun Chu, Pedro Ferreira, Mi Zhou, and Michael D. Smith
  Presented at SCECR 2025
  Scheduled to present at BU Platform Strategy 2025, INFORMS Annual Meeting 2025

• Multimodal Video Learning in Online Education: Managing Cognitive Load Patterns using Guided Attention Graphs
  Yi-Yun Chu, Zhe Deng, Wen Wang, and Pedro Ferreira
  Presented at SCECR 2024, INFORMS Annual Meeting 2024, SCECR 2025

• Yelp Me If You Can: Rethinking Occupational Licensing through Online Reputation Systems
  Yi-Yun Chu, Uttara M. Ananthakrishnan, and Michael D. Smith
  Presented at SCECR 2024, Yale AIML 2024, ISMS Marketing Science Conference 2025
  Scheduled to present at Biz AI 2025 (UTD)
  Received George Duncan Award for Excellence in Doctoral Studies, CMU, May 2025
  Received Flash Session Winner award for the “User Generated Content” session, ISMS Marketing Science Conference, June 2025

Platform Strategy and Media Economics

• Data-Driven Auditing of Black-Box AI Systems: An Application to Political Campaigns
  Yi-Yun Chu, Uttara M. Ananthakrishnan, Ramayya Krishnan, and Ananya Sen
  [SSRN] [Code]
  Under Review at Information Systems Research
  Presented at SCECR 2025

• Thematic and Emotional Congruency in TV Advertising: A Multi-Modal Analysis of Engagement and Demand
  Yi-Yun Chu, Liye Ma, Uttara M. Ananthakrishnan, and Michael D. Smith
  Under Review at Management Science
  Presented at ISMS Marketing Science Conference 2025

• Blurred Lines: The Differential Impact of High-Quality and Low-Quality Piracy on Box Office Revenues
  Yi-Yun Chu, Brett Danaher, and Michael D. Smith
  Under Revision at Journal of Management Information Systems
  Presented at SCECR 2023