Joseph Ayers
Generative AI in Teaching, for Parsons First-Year: Time
Throughout the semester, students engaged with the idea that time is a malleable concept. Students considered the cultural and perceptual constructions of time, using “time” as a material whose properties are manipulated and integrated into student works. Students experiment with attention span, duration, linear and non-linear narratives.
Faculty Reflection
After giving students an overview of the technological history and the ethical dimensions of AI development and applications, the majority of students declined to use AI in their projects. They were against the use of AI generative images that exploit the works of others without citation. They were against the use of energy consumption associated with AI generation. They were against the use of AI by corporations and governments to surveil, analyze and track human activities. They were also inclined to have the experience of creating, through trial and error, a hands-on approach to art making and personal expression. All of the students experimented with the use of AI to generate Images, Videos, Sound, and Text, but the consensus was that they did not like to use AI in their artistic expressions. In fact, I think the prompt to use AI pushed some students to strictly pursue hand-made analogue works to express themselves.
Curriculum and Student Projects
Project 1: Photoshop Generative AI Fill
Using Photoshop Generative AI Fill create an image that answers one of the questions about the three singularities. Post your image, along with the question, and please add thoughtful writing that describes your ideas, and how the image relates to the question. You can title this post anything you think is appropriate. Image development around 1 of 3 themes: Humans are at a critical moment to maintain a sustainable future. Our relationship with Nature, Technology and Humanity, are on the edge of epic transitions. Choose one of these three relationships, and develop an AI generative image with multiple layers that expresses, or raises questions about, how these relationships influence our collective futures.
Learning Outcomes:
- Understand how to use basic AI Generative tools in Adobe
- Begin to consider some of the ethical questions around authorship and copyright
- Begin to consider of the way that this technology will influence the direction of human sustainability in the future
Image by Thomas Hu
Posed question is “Human vs. Nature: Will humanity and the earth find sustainable harmony?”
“This image illustrates the opposition and balance between the never-ending urban progress and the nature’s resilience. A river divides the greenery from the cityscape, as it symbolizes that humanity and nature will hardly find the harmony to integrate both the human expansion and nature preservation. The lonely human standing in the nature represents on the role collectively for human in protecting nature while looking forward to the future developments. Lastly, the emerging sunlight indicates there is still hope for humanity before it is too late to preserve the Earth.”
Image by Muskan Wadha
Posed question is “If humans can’t solve their issues how can we expect them to control the power of the advancing technology?”
“Although created by humans artificial intelligence day by day is becoming more independent and surpassing human intelligence. Many countries are even creating weapon technology that can function without human control such technologies can be another cause of destruction and the takeover of technology. Humans depend on technology for everything, which may lead to humans losing their power. This image is a perfect example of how the rapidly advancing technology can take over the human rule and cause destruction if not controlled.”
Project 2: Sequential Recut
Use Ai ChatGPT, or Deepseek, to create a comparative analysis between two subjects. For example, comparing the evolution of Technology Innovation over the past 100 years, and the parallel timeline of Art Innovation during the same time period. Use these tools to research relationships for Sequential Recut project (recutting, or retelling/restructuring a past history in a modern context.
Learning Outcomes:
- Use the LLM to help research a comparative analysis for ideas related to the projects
- Explore how AI can help develop ideas faster, and suggest ways to present new ideas.
Project by Eva Zhang, using AI to translate letters.
“Through the installation “Echoes of Unopened Letters”, I wish to acknowledge the presence of subconscious prejudice. It still exists, even if you never act on it, never say anything. It might just be as fleeting as a thought, gone the next second. Yet it is important to own up to it, even if it stems from a place of unknowing. I expand on a research paper I had already finished, on the topic of ““How did Chinese-Japanese relations evolve from mid 1900 to post world war II?”. For this project I decided to focus on the three main events, the First Sino-Japanese War, the Second Sino-Japanese War, and World War II, and how the relationship between the two countries’ citizens deteriorates as each suffer in resentment of the other, without knowing the entire picture. The delicate balance between not accusing, but healing. Not erasing, but acknowledging and moving past these generational grudges. If not resolved, the relationship between the two deteriorates more, resulting in years of resentment. The interaction of the three generations of women, from both the Chinese and Japanese side respectably showcase the damage of the war on citizens from both sides, and the decades long prejudice that formed from propaganda and censorship.”
Project 3: Text to Voice in Video/Installation
Use text to voice to create a VoiceOver for either a video project, or an installation experience.
Learning Outcomes:
- Explore how AI can offer tools that help to generate video and audio assets that might prove difficult in the real world
- Explore how your projects and ideas can be enhanced by AI generative assets, both in time spent on creation, and also how it can reinforce the conceptual framework of your projects