RISD: Emerging Technologies - Generative AI [Spring 2025]

Sessions and Slides

Introduction to LLM Sessions

Images + Stable Diffusion Sessions

Videos + 3D (NeRF / Gaussian Splatting)

Designing with Emerging Technologies: Generative AI

Semester: Spring 2025

Type: 3 credit seminar

Instructors: Chaki Ng and Elisabeth Sylvan

TA: TBD (if interested, email instructors)

Schedule: Wednesdays 9:30-12:30 (from 2/19 to 5/14/25)

Location: TBD

Capacity: 20 students

Eligibility rules: graduate level

Category: This is a new and experimental course for working with the latest emerging technologies. Topics will vary year to year. For Spring 2025, it’s Generative AI.

Course Description:

Cut through the hype and excitement surrounding generative AI by understanding for yourself what these tools can and cannot do. Through this course students will learn to understand, design, and build with generative AI. The class is a mix of theory and hands-on work. Students develop practical skills in designing, building, and testing with generative AI. Readings and discussions address key concepts in AI, their ethical implications, foundations in designing AI interaction, and implications for creators. No previous experience with either the theory or use of AI is required but students will need to learn to use the tools through basic course tutorials and independent research and experimentations.

(To be determined) Possible materials budget of ~$100 for AI tool subscriptions / buying credits.

Topics

Module A: Foundations + LLM

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In this module, we will cover the basics of Generative AI by looking under the hood a little bit. The goal is to understand what the “magic” is and set expectations properly. We will also work with the current LLM tools, understand the difference in models, and doing prompts.

Generative AI 101

Before AI, how programming typically work
Machine Learning: use the data to program
LLM Basics (Neural Networks, Embeddings, Training, etc.)
Prompt Engineering Basics

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Assignment: write a design / product brief

Generative AI 102

Model Comparisons
Chatbot and Assistants
Different Modalities
System Prompts

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Assignment: build a custom GPT (for artificial user testing)

Module B: Image Models

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In this module, we will explore AI tools that could be useful for your design workflow. The goal is to identify tools that look promising to help you become a better / more productive designer in at least one area (e.g., ideation).

Image Models

How AI generates images
Stable Diffusion and other models
Finetuning your own models

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Assignment: make 10-20 images for a moodboard

3D and Video

Sketch-to-3D Models
Video Models
3D Photogrammetry
Other Emerging Tools

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Assignment: sketch 10 objects or make some short AI videos

Project #1: Design Concept Webpage with Workflow Video

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All the assignments to this point are parts of this project. You will make a simple page (web tool/platform TBD as we want to all host these at the same place), documenting the brief, user research, moodboard, and illustration of the final concept… plus, last but not least, you will make a short YouTube video that showcase your workflow. So taking video captures / recording throughout these modules are important.

Module C: Coding with AI

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In this module, we will do some basic coding with the assistance of AI. The goal is to do continue doing something uncomfortable, while learning the basics of software / web design.

Coding

Coding basics (e.g., HTML / CSS / Javascript / Typescript / Python / Flask / React)
Coding Assistants

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Assignment: coding playground exercises (e.g., Codecademy)

UI / UX

UI basics (e.g., web)
Generative UI

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Assignment: make a basic web app

Module D: Designing AI Interactions

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In this module, we will explore what’s ahead with AI-powered design. The goal is to imagine (or re-imagine) new or existing products (software and/or physical) that can be realized or enhanced significantly with AI.

Human-Computer Interactions

Basic History of Human-Computer Interaction
Opportunities / Challenges of Designing new AI-powered Interactions

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Assignment: critique an existing software / product design

Designing new Interactions

Rapid prototyping and testing
Leverage AI tools learned to date

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Assignment: see project below

Project #2: AI Interaction Concept

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You will think big to try to come up with one novel interaction paradigm and communicate it. Given the paradigm may be difficult or even impossible currently to implement, these types of deliverables are all negotiable at this point:

Clickable prototypes (e.g., in Figma)
Working prototypes (e.g., web app; physical objects)
Hybrid (e.g., concept video with physical objects but edited digital inputs / outputs)

Tools

This is a working and growing list of tools you might learn and use. Giving its size, we will cover just a subset of these in-class. Everyone is also encouraged to share new tools with the class together.

LLM Apps: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Llama

LLM Apps (Dev): Google AI Studio, OpenAI Platform

Image Models: Midjourney, SD / SDXL, Flux, Visual Electric, Ideogram

Image Apps: Google Whisk

Run AI Online: Replicate, fal.ai, Runpod, RunDiffusion

Run AI Locally: Ollama, LM Studio, Stability Matrix

Image UIs: Automatic1111, Forge WebUI, ComfyUI

Model Directories: Civitai (has NSFW), HuggingFace

Video Models: Runway, Luma Dream Machine

Video Apps: DomoAI,

3D Apps: Viscom, Tripo, Spline

Coding: P5.js, Python, Figma, GitHub, Cursor, Replit, v0, Claude

Python Frontend: Streamlit, Gradio

Gen UI: Uizard, Galileo, UXPilot

Photogrammetry: Guassian Splats, Scaniverse, Polycam

Computer Vision: OpenCV, Teachable Machine

Speech: ElevenLabs

Animations: Touch Designer

Hardware: Rasperry Pi