Volume 1, Issue 1 (2023) Artificial Intelligence and Possible Futures for the Arts

How are recent innovations in Artificial Intelligence (AI)—ones that change art processes and appear to produce creative works—transforming the creation of art and knowledge? The pace of these innovations and the discussions surrounding them challenge traditions in the arts, design, and media fields and encourage (if not force) us to consider the possible futures of the arts.

The editorial board of Tradition-Innovations in Art, Design, and Media Higher Education invited artists, performers, designers, and media creators in higher education to become a part of the discussion about AI’s effects on the arts in this inaugural issue of the journal.

How can artists, performers, designers, and media creators balance innovations and traditions in the Arts, Design, and Media higher education, and what can we learn from our fields’ reactions to AI?

As a practitioner, scholar, or mentor, what strategies are you using to address AI’s challenges to your work in the arts?

How is AI changing the relationship between educators/mentors and students?

What traditional—centuries-old—practices are beyond the reach of artificially generated work, and why? What does this tell us about human creativity, and creative processes in the face of AI?

How can we influence AI platforms in visionary and productive ways? What is important to consider beyond an immediate reactive stance?

How can we respond to the unintended consequences of AI and participate in iterating positive advancements?

How can the arts empower contemporary society to identify longer-term opportunities—and challenges—of AI?.

This special issue call received so many fascinating—and often surprising—contributions that the guest editors decided to publish this issue in several parts. Julian Kilker introduces the first part, and Leah Howd the with articles that stretch our understanding of artistic and research collaborations. Leah Howd introduces the second part, focused on opportunities and challenges in teaching in the age of generative AI. The first part - introduced by Julian Kilker - and second part - introduced by Leah Howd - include contributions that stretch our understanding of artistic and research collaborations, and teaching strategies. Evocative and provocative “co-created” human and AI generated visuals accompany each contribution, eliciting critical reflection on generative AI outputs, productive human interventions in human-AI “co-creation,” and possibilities and limits of AI technologies. The third part includes contributions about art/science research integration using machine learning, controversies surrounding the exhibition of artists using Generative AI enhancements, and empowering and making visible traditional artisans, traditionally marginalized populations.

Josh Vermillion, UNLV School of Architecture, created the cover art for this special edition and the banner for the new journal using a workflow described in his article in this special issue.