FMX 323 • AI: Imaging the Future
Santiago Echeverry
secheverry at ut dot edu
office hours via Zoom only
SPRING 25 | 01/21/2025 – 05/09/2025
TU/TR | 12:00 – 1:50 PM | CCB 134
FMX 323 AI: Imaging the Future is a studio/production course that explores the diverse realms of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools. Through ‘Prompt’ development methods and practices, this course seeks to unleash AI’s creative power in story-telling, script development, digital imaging, video creation, music composition, 3D modeling, UI/UX prototyping, gaming, API interfaces, custom models, and other applications, from analysis to synthesis. The course will simultaneously study the ethical implications of AI in our society, exploring how artificially generated information may seamlessly blend with authentic sources, considering historical and theoretical perspectives. Studio fee required.
Prerequisite: FMX 210 or FMX 241, or instructor’s authorization
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Knowledge & Understanding:
• Gain foundational knowledge of Artificial Intelligence (AI) concepts and terminology.
• Understand the different types of AI and their applications.
• Explore the historical and theoretical perspectives of AI development.
• Develop an understanding of ethical considerations surrounding AI development and deployment.
• Learn about the impact of AI on various industries, including art, entertainment, and business.
Skills Development:
• Develop practical skills in using AI tools for creative tasks, such as text generation, image creation, music composition, and 3D modeling.
• Learn to effectively use AI tools for data analysis and visualization.
• Develop skills in prompt engineering and crafting effective instructions for AI models.
• Learn to critically analyze AI-generated content and identify potential biases.
• Develop skills in researching and presenting information related to AI.
Creative Application:
• Apply AI tools to create original works of art, design, and media.
• Explore the creative potential of AI in storytelling, scriptwriting, and other narrative forms.
• Develop innovative concepts for AI applications in various fields.
Critical Thinking & Reflection:
• Critically analyze the social, ethical, and environmental implications of AI technologies.
• Develop a critical understanding of the potential impact of AI on society and the future of work.
• Reflect on the role of human creativity and ingenuity in the age of AI.
Communication & Collaboration:
• Effectively communicate ideas and findings related to AI.
• Collaborate with peers on group projects and engage in constructive discussions.
• Present findings and creative work to the class.
NOTA BENE
The AI landscape is evolving constantly, with new tools being released and updated almost every day. We may be planning something at the beginning of the class but we may be forced to use another tool if it is necessary. We will cover the topics in general, but the order and tolls WILL vary for sure. You will also be asked to follow some accounts on social media that do continuous updates on AI and its implementation in the contemporary professional landscape.
You MUST share every single prompt for every single project you will create in this class, as well as the tool you used to produce such project.
A project without a prompt and without referencing the tool used to create it will receive a 0/100.
INDIVIDUAL PRESENTATIONS
You will be required to research a specific tool that we will not discuss in class, and do a presentation on the usages and implementation of such tool. This will be an individual presentation, that will start around the third week of classes. The tool to be chosen will be determined in class or will be freely selected by the students.
TOOLS
Adobe Creative Suite: Photoshop, Illustrator, Adobe Express, Firefly (for faculty and students)
Design & Prototyping: Figma (free tier available), Adobe XD (free tier available)
AI Art Generators: Lumalabs DreamMachine, Midjourney (limited free trials available), Stable Diffusion (open-source, requires setup), and many others
You will be required to create your free accounts on ChatGPT and Google Gemini.
TOPICS AND PROJECTS
What is AI?
Topic: Different types of AI (Machine Learning, Deep Learning, etc.). Historical context of AI.
Class Discussion: Ethical considerations surrounding AI development and deployment.
AI in Creativity: Text & Storytelling
Topic: AI for text generation (e.g., GPT-4o, Bard). Creative writing applications (poetry, short stories, screenplays).
Analyze the ethical implications of AI-generated narratives.
AI in Visual Arts: Image & Design
Topic: AI image generation tools (e.g., Midjourney, DALL-E 2, Firefly). Exploring different art styles and aesthetics.
Project: Create a series of AI-generated images based on a specific theme or concept.
Refine and enhance the AI-generated images using Photoshop
Class: Discuss the impact of AI on the art world and the concept of “originality.”
AI in 3D Modeling & Game Development
Topic: AI for 3D modeling and game development (e.g., character creation, level design).
Project: Create a 3D model or a simple game element using AI tools (e.g., Midjourney for concept art, Blender for 3D modeling).
Class: Discuss the challenges and opportunities of AI in game development.
AI in Audio & Music
Topic: AI music composition tools (e.g., AIVA, Amper Music). Exploring different musical genres and styles.
Project: Compose a short musical piece using AI tools.
Investigate the use of AI in music copyright and ownership.
AI in Video & Animation
Topic: AI for video editing, animation, and special effects. Exploring applications in film and advertising.
Project: Create a short animated video clip using AI tools (e.g., Runway ML) and edit/refine it in Premiere Pro (if available).
Class: Analyze the potential of AI in the film industry and the future of filmmaking.
AI & the Future of Work
Topic: The impact of AI on the job market. Skills needed for the future of work in the AI era.
Project: Research and present on a career path related to AI that interests you.
Class: Discuss the potential for AI to displace jobs and the need for reskilling/upskilling.
AI & Society: Bias & Fairness
Topic: Bias in AI algorithms and the importance of fairness and equity.
Project: Analyze an AI application for potential biases and develop mitigation strategies.
Class: Discuss the social and ethical implications of biased AI systems.
AI & the Environment
Topic: The environmental impact of AI.
Project: Research and present on the environmental impact of AI data centers.
Class: Discuss strategies for developing more sustainable AI technologies.
The Future of AI: Emerging Trends
Topic: Explore emerging trends in AI, such as AI in healthcare, AI in education, and the metaverse.
Project: Develop a speculative concept for a future AI application and create a visual presentation using any available tools of your choice
REQUIREMENTS
You must use your own external SSD Drive to store your projects. Even though we will use DropBox extensively, it is your responsibility to save and document the progress of each on of your projects.
Download and install Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver on your personal computers. There will be specific Open Source tools you will be asked to use online and on your phones. Some of these are paid tools, we will try to find alternative versions, but you may be asked to purchase a specific app to use on your mobile equipment.
You will be required to create your accounts with different tools such as ChatGPT, DreamMachine, RunwayML, etc. You will use the free version, and subcribe only if it is absolutely necessary. Make sure you use a monthly plan, not a yearly plan.
GRADE WEIGHT
10% PROMPTS
12% PIXELS
12% VECTORS
12% 3D
12% AUDIO
12% AVATARS
20% VIDEO
10% PRESENTATIONS
The grades posted on Workday may not reflect the final grade on Canvas.
DISCLAIMER
I reserve the right to modify this syllabus at any time for any reason.