AICI: Research, Practice and Partnership in Creative AI Education
Artificial intelligence has developed at extraordinary speed throughout the lifetime of the AICI project. Across animation, film, games, visual effects and other visually based creative industries, emerging technologies have continued to reshape workflows, introduce new possibilities and raise important questions for creative education.
Against this changing landscape, Artificial Intelligence in Creative Industries (AICI) brought together educators, researchers, students and industry professionals to explore how education can respond responsibly while keeping creativity, critical thinking and human judgement at the centre.
The project combined research, practical experimentation and knowledge exchange, creating an opportunity to understand emerging technologies from multiple perspectives and contribute to the wider conversation around their role in creative practice.
Building an Evidence Base
Research formed a significant part of AICI’s work, examining the impact of AI across creative industries and higher education.
The project explored industry developments, students’ perceptions of generative AI, its potential implications for creativity and critical thinking, and the changing relationship between technology and creative practice.
This work has contributed to a growing evidence base around AI in visually based creative industries and informed the project’s guidelines and recommendations for educators, industry and policymakers.
Exploring AI Through Practice
Practical experimentation provided another important dimension to the project.
Through workshops delivered across Europe and online, students, educators and creative professionals had opportunities to explore emerging AI technologies within creative workflows.
Participants experimented with applications across ideation, storyboarding, image, video, sound and production, while workshops also created space for critical discussions around authorship, ownership, ethics and artistic integrity.
These conversations became particularly important as the project progressed. Participant feedback highlighted the complexity of attitudes towards generative AI within the creative community and reinforced the importance of approaching these technologies critically, transparently and with respect for creative ownership.
Across the workshops, a consistent principle emerged: technology can support and accelerate aspects of creative practice, while artistic intention, storytelling and creative decision-making remain human-led.
Engaging the Creative Community
AICI’s work also extended beyond research and workshops.
Throughout the project, partners engaged with the wider creative community through conferences, festivals, industry events and professional networks. These opportunities allowed the consortium to showcase its research and experiences while participating in broader discussions with educators, researchers, artists and industry professionals.
Engaging directly with the community provided an important exchange of perspectives at a time when attitudes, technologies and professional practices surrounding AI were evolving rapidly.
From Project Findings to Lasting Resources
The knowledge developed throughout AICI has been brought together through research publications, guidelines, recommendations and practical resources available through the project website.
Together, these outputs provide a resource for educators, students, creative professionals and decision-makers who are navigating the changing relationship between artificial intelligence and creative practice.
While individual AI platforms will continue to change, many of the questions explored throughout AICI will remain relevant: how we protect creative ownership, develop AI literacy, maintain public trust, support emerging talent and ensure technological innovation strengthens rather than diminishes the conditions that allow creativity to thrive.
As AICI reaches the conclusion of its funded project activities, its research and resources provide a foundation for that conversation to continue.
