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Students are learning to shape the digital future and understand AI鈥檚 impact on creativity and storytelling through the course 鈥淎I: Imaging the Future,鈥� taught by Santiago Echeverry, professor of film, animation and new media.

The course is open to students of any major, though many are from animation, new media, film and computer science.

In one class, Echeverry asked his students to take turns sharing why AI tools are so important to learn today.

鈥淔ilm is going in the direction of AI, and no matter how much we kick and scream and say we don鈥檛 like it, it鈥檚 not going to go away,鈥� one student said. 鈥淪o, I might as well learn how to work with it.鈥�

The rest of the class nodded their heads in agreement.

Echeverry emphasized the potential of AI in filmmaking. 鈥淔ilmmaking takes an incredible amount of resources 鈥� equipment, permits, personnel,鈥� he said. 鈥淎I can simplify the process and expand what creators are capable of.鈥�

Throughout the semester, students learn how to successfully apply prompt development methods to AI tools that range from 3D modeling and animation to programs for scriptwriting, image generation and music composition.

Echeverry illustrates the art of prompt development by showing how language structure can alter AI-generated visuals. By simply reordering the same words in a prompt, he shows how a slight change can produce an entirely different image.

The class鈥� grading focuses on students鈥� prompts rather than the finished product. This encourages students to think critically about how their words can impact the end result.

鈥淚 hope to develop better writing skills and learn to be more creative, because that鈥檚 what AI prompting is about,鈥� said Bryton Montgomery 鈥�26, a computer science major.

Many students see the course as a crucial step toward understanding how AI ties into their future career industries.

For new media major Libby Divers 鈥�26, the class directly aligns with her goals. 鈥淚 wanted to learn more about how AI works and how to best incorporate it into my professional and personal life,鈥� she said. 鈥淎fter graduation, I plan to continue studying technology, specifically the interaction between humans and computers. The incorporation of AI in filmmaking is essential and inevitable; therefore, I want to learn how it can be effectively integrated.鈥�

By the end of the semester, students will create their own AI assisted projects while developing a deeper understanding of how AI鈥檚 creative power can amplify their own artistic expression.

Echeverry encourages students to see AI not as competition, but as collaboration.

鈥淭he key isn鈥檛 to fear AI,鈥� he said, 鈥渂ut to learn how to guide it and to understand what it says about us as creators.鈥�