As a baseline, most arts faculty at the University of Washington are committed to helping students think creatively about the use of generative AI as a tool in domain-specific ways. Beyond this, several departments are at the leading edge of the field of AI in the arts.
Digital Arts & Experimental Media (DXARTS)
- DXARTS maintains an AI server that allows students to explore the creative potential of GenAI and to pursue projects that use art-making to critique the effects of GenAI on society.
- Art work by Tivon Rice, Afroditi Psarra, Juan Pampin, and Laura Luna Castillo has been internationally visible in this field.
- The graduate student new media arts festival SPAM drew participants and audiences from around the U.S. in Summer 2024. We anticipate SPAM growing in 2025 and providing a focus for cutting edge use of and critical perspectives on GenAI.
School of Art + Art History + Design
- Chad Hall (Visual Communications Design) teaches about the industry applications of GenAI and has worked with Figma’s “insights” team on understanding how GenAI affects team collaboration in remote working environments. He has submitted funding proposals for “Designing Preferable AI Futures,” a toolkit for product teams to avoid unintended consequences in design and release of GenAI software.
- Meichun Liu (Industrial Design) is working with students to design best practices in the use of GenAI in prototyping.
- Interaction Design faculty, led by Axel Roessler, are seeking funding to support a project to design user experience interfaces for GenAI in healthy aging and longevity.