Lesson Notes & Activities Directions:  Read through the lesson and engage with the activities in order they appear. Answer on a sheet of notebook paper that you will turn in for a grade. Make a heading on the top of your notebook paper with your: full name , class, Title: AI & Creativity." Organize your paper so that each activity or section is labeled clearly.

One of the biggest arguments that sets human aside from artificial intelligence (AI) is CREATIVITY.  In fact, when asking AI what sets humans apart from machines, creativity was the top answer: Creativity: Humans possess an innate ability to think creatively, form original ideas, and innovate, a quality that is challenging for computers to replicate as it involves emotional intelligence, intuition, and contextual understanding.

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Although, do not be fooled into thinking that AI cannot display creative characteristics.  Watch the video below to see reasons I agree with on the future of the relationship between humans and AI. Are humans replaceable? Not yet...but we should strive to understand how AI changes and impacts our society. 

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2.1 Video #1: "AI won't kill creativity"

Answer as you watch:

1.  How has technology impacted art in the past? Or, how has art responded to technology previously?

2. What does it suggest about art responding to AI? How do you think art today will respond to our current technologies?

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3. How does the author suggest AI can assist human creativity? Why is this exciting?

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4. What are the two essential considerations about humans that make them irreplaceable?

2.2 Chart: Before & After Sound in Film

The video first suggests that art has always responded to technology. For better or worse, it's evolved and influenced art to expand itself and the limits of human innovation.  

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Let's break down the concepts in the video with an example: the introduction of sounds to film. 

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Recommended Online Article Read (5 mins): "How Talkies Changed the Film Industry" Here is a fascinating article and quick read about how sound change and impacted films. 

2.2a Discussion Questions based on the chart

Practice thinking critically to examine the parallels between the historical evolution of filmmaking and the current intersection of AI and creativity and foster your own ideas on the implications, challenges, and opportunities in the dynamic relationship between technology and art:

Reflection on Creativity in Silent Films vs. Talkies: Choose one question to answer below on your paper

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1. How did the absence of synchronized sound in silent films influence the creative expression and storytelling techniques of filmmakers?

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2. In what ways did the introduction of sound impact the storytelling potential of films, and how did filmmakers adapt to this technological change?

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Exploring the Role of AI in Artistic Evolution: Choose two questions to answer below on your paper

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3. In what ways might AI influence or limit the creative freedom and expression of artists, similar to how sound altered the landscape of storytelling?

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4. How can AI contribute to the evolution of artistic expression, and what challenges might arise in reconciling human creativity with machine-generated art?

5. Can AI be a tool to augment human creativity, or does it risk replacing genuine artistic innovation?

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6. As technology evolves and AI becomes more integrated into the artistic process, how can artists maintain authenticity and a human touch in their work?
 

2.3 Discussion Board: Practice creativity with AI

Go through the slides below and complete the activities

Let's return back to the creative capabilities of artificial intelligence today. Here are some example of how impressive AI can be when it comes to modern day production of ideas...

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More Observations about AI and Creativity: The Pedestrian

Go through the slides below and observe the creative representations of our recent short stories and AI:

2.4 Human Intelligence vs. Artificial Intelligence

As an educator, AI is terrifying and inspiring. At first, the idea of AI creeping more and more into the classroom has brought a new set of challenges and opportunities. After spending some time trying to understand the issue and capabilities of the technology, I feel confident in saying that AI will ultimately benefit education overall and give educators more resources for students, rather than limit their learning.​

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I's true, as a teacher, it can be hard to determine the authenticity of student work and how much assistance they can get from the internet. Students can easier than ever skip parts of readings or assignments and last minute try to come up with a digital answer or solution to get out of late or missing work. Some students may even be going to the lengths of thinking they are getting away with some grand scheme while they rely on AI to write their papers or come up with their ideas.

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I no longer worry too much about being tricked by AI after getting to know AI.  Just like a student, AI has it's own voice. It's voice is sophisticated and has an advanced vocabulary. It can structure speech and rhetoric beautifully and be convincing that everything it has to say is important and meaningful. However, when looking closer at AI, most of the time it's not saying much. It takes a lot of fluffy words to give a minimal answers. The greatest speakers of our time argue that a good speaker's message should be concise, make a point, and back it up. Adding a bunch of fancy words just is a long way to say the speaker doesn't have much to say.

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In order to for AI to produce decent results, it must have a good human brain behind the computer putting in the right inputs. At this point, most students realize that it takes more time to try and tell a computer how to correctly complete it's assignments than to just do the learning in the first place.  I mostly worry about students not engaging with their own learning, selling themselves short of their own education and practice at critical thinking. Sure, they can get away with the points in class  to get a better grade, so what?;- but, how will their lack of problem solving later catch up with them?

From my personal experience, AI is really still working itself out. We have come a long way, but we still have quite a ways to go before we can really rely on it to do our foundational and most heavy thinking and decision making in society. I interact with AI frequently and find almost every day, I am teaching AI something about the world and correcting it. AI is beginning to understand how the world works as humans but it still does not have the innovative capabilities of humans. 

Take the images below for example. I asked AI to create helpful charts for students based on science fiction elements and the pros and cons of AI.

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This demonstrates that AI can enhance creativity; however, it probably is not replacing humans anytime soon. This should be encouraging for us to think of AI as a tool to enhance our ideas and creativity; rather than, replace.

This is much like you saw with the examples above of images generated from AI based on "The Pedestrian" and the "Give Sci-Fi a Try." Although the AI is impressive, it can certainly make it's own fair share of goofs. Sometimes it can be laughable, and sometimes it is concerning. ​

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In contemplating the intersection of AI and creativity within the context of film evolution, we find a dynamic interplay between technological advancements and human ingenuity. Just as the transition from silent films to talkies marked a transformative era, the integration of AI into the arts raises questions about the delicate balance between innovation and preserving the authenticity of human expression. Try to think beyond just is AI good or bad; but rather, what roles can humans and AI coexist to enhance the human experience?

Envision a future where creativity and technology coexists, how can you shape a future where AI becomes a collaborator rather than a replacement? How can you foster a harmonious blend of human imagination and artificial intelligence in the ever-evolving landscape of artistic innovation? 

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Final Wrap Up Questions: Write on a notecard and turn in...

1. How do you imagine incorporating AI into your creative process or future work in your life?

2. What aspects of your work do you believe are uniquely human and irreplaceable by technology?

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2.5 AI & Creativity Wrap Up