
From art, to science, to education, to the ethics of everyday life – how will artificial intelligence implicate the future of society? This is the buzzing question in LMU College of Communication and Fine Arts. Amidst national fascination on the subject matter, the college is working to facilitate discourse on campus, addressing the emerging age of AI through its programming and courses.
The William H. Hannon Library was packed on Wednesday, November 6 for “Generative AI: The Image in the Age of Artificial Reproduction,” a panel presented by Communication Studies and LMU College of Communication and Fine Arts Dean’s Office.
Hosted by Associate Professor and Chair of Communication Studies Jason Jarvis, the panel consisted of four different speakers. Marital and Family/ Art Therapy Professor Nancy Choe discussed the role of AI within art therapy. Studio Arts Professor Saeri Cho Dobson highlighted the importance of addressing bias while harnessing the creative potential AI presents. Computer Science Clinical Professor Anna Farzindar explored AI at the intersection of creative expression and cultural contexts, emphasizing the ethical dilemmas at play. And Journalist Brian Merchant, discussed the implications of mass image production enabled by AI for creative labor.
“Our job as academics is to ask questions about the ethics of AI issues, and how society will change as a consequence of them.” Dr. Jarvis explains. “The real challenge is that we don’t have all the answers yet – this is why it is important for us to host these events, have these conversations and let the experts show us our ignorance and how to overcome it.”
Each of the featured speakers has expertise in a different field, from Studio Arts to Computer Science. The interdisciplinary nature of this event speaks to the universality of the challenges and benefits posed by AI. “You might not be an artist but seeing what an artist can do with AI might give you ideas of what you can do with it, or how it might affect you,” explains Jarvis. “I hope the broader-based discussion with people from different disciplines sparked the imagination of what is possible with AI, no matter the subject area.”
LMU College of Communication and Fine Arts plans to host future panels of a similar interdisciplinary nature. “We are in the process of planning a spring panel on artificial intelligence and creative labor,” says Jarvis. This event will be designed to accommodate the large numbers of people that are expected to attend. Additionally, the speaker presentations will be limited to forefront a seminar-style discussion with the audience.
In addition to AI-centered events, the college has integrated AI into its courses. A total of eight courses that address AI in their curriculums will be offered in the spring, in Studio Arts, Marital and Family/ Art Therapy, and Communication Studies. Students who enroll in these courses will have the opportunity to envision the future of AI, complete online training about the basics of AI, and work with AI to generate images. The goal of these courses, from an educator perspective, is to allow students to become literate in AI functions. “I want my students to be able to talk intelligently about AI, even if it’s only to outline their reasons why they choose not to use it. If we can produce people who understand the language of AI better, that’s a leg up for them in the industry, regardless of discipline,” Jarvis says.
No matter what the future of AI holds, LMU College of Communication and Fine Arts is prepared to accommodate and embrace it. “We have to balance the fear of the challenges AI poses with recognition of inevitable future changes,” Jarvis asserts. “We as a department want to embrace change and be on the frontlines helping students to integrate these technologies wisely into their academic pursuits.”