SC Wisconsin News

Associate Professor Cary Elza at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point is preparing her students for the evolving role of artificial intelligence (AI) in creative fields. This semester, she introduced a new topic under the MSTU 354 course titled "Topics in Media Production: Artificial Intelligence and Creativity."

"Media creators are at the front lines of this," Elza stated. "Many of our students go on to create, and I don’t think that these tools can replace their role as producers. However, being able to use AI tools and explain how and why you use them for individual creation and expression is becoming increasingly important."

The course aims to equip students with knowledge about AI's history while preparing them for its future impact on media careers. Elza has set learning outcomes that encourage students to define ethical guidelines for using AI in creative work and effectively integrate it into their workflows.

"We are aiming to help students figure out where technological augmentation happens, and how to do so while maintaining authentic voice," she explained.

As distinguishing AI-generated content from human-made becomes more challenging, concerns about authenticity arise in creative professions. However, Elza envisions using generative AI to maintain human quality while making creative media services more accessible. She plans a partnership with the Green Circle Trail for an advertising campaign promoting safe behavior.

"I am working on a partnership with the Green Circle Trail to create an advertising campaign for safe and responsible behavior," Elza said. "My goal is that by the end of the semester we’ll have used AI to help them create a whole safety campaign complete with videos and animation."

Elza acknowledges past perceptions of AI as speculative fiction but emphasizes adapting to change rather than resisting it.

"It can be terrifying-- I too have reservations, but changes in media technology have happened before," she remarked. "By participating in what comes next, you are envisioning the way the world could be instead of the way it was. The people who will be able to get the jobs of the future are the people who embrace the future."

In addition to her teaching efforts, Elza is conducting research on AI's role in education through a Wisconsin Teaching Fellows and Scholars project focusing on what defines human voice in writing. She will present her findings at April's OPID Spring Conference for Wisconsin Educators.