Top US art school adopts AI in groundbreaking partnership

Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) has formed a pioneering partnership with Invoke, an AI company providing enterprise-grade generative media tools, giving students access to advanced AI-powered creation software.

Partnership Overview: RISD’s collaboration with Invoke represents the first major alliance between a prestigious art school and an AI image generation company.

• Students gain access to Invoke’s premium suite of AI-powered creation tools, which are typically reserved for enterprise clients
• Invoke, a remote company founded in 2024 with nine employees, provides both free public versions and specialized enterprise solutions
• The partnership originated through RISD professor Daniel Lefcourt, whose work focuses on painting through technological imaging

Technical Implementation: The AI tools are being integrated into RISD’s curriculum through specific courses and applications.

• The technology is primarily used in the school’s Generative Systems course within the Computation, Technology, and Culture concentration
• Students can fine-tune AI models using their own artwork, moving beyond basic text-to-image generation
• The tools are particularly popular among industrial design and architecture students who use them as advanced rendering engines

Differentiation from Traditional AI Art: Invoke’s approach stands apart from mainstream AI image generators through its specialized capabilities.

• The platform avoids the generic “AI art look” associated with tools like Midjourney
• Students utilize the technology for image manipulation and combining visuals rather than relying solely on text prompts
• The software serves as one component in a larger creative process rather than a standalone solution

Industry Context: The partnership emerges against a backdrop of tension between artists and AI companies.

• Many artists have opposed AI companies for training models on unauthorized artwork and potentially undermining creative markets
• Hundreds of artists recently protested against OpenAI through an open letter regarding unpaid labor concerns
• Some departments at RISD, particularly illustration, remain cautious about embracing AI tools

Future Implications: The integration of AI tools in art education signals an evolving landscape for creative professionals.

• Professor Lefcourt draws parallels to the transition period when Photoshop emerged, affecting traditional commercial artists
• While acknowledging concerns about labor practices in gaming and film industries, the partnership suggests a more collaborative future between artists and AI
• The growing prominence of visual culture may create new opportunities for artists as visual experts, despite the challenging transition period

Evolving Perspectives: Initial resistance to AI in creative fields appears to be shifting as artists discover more nuanced applications of the technology, though questions about labor rights and creative ownership remain central to ongoing discussions about AI’s role in the arts.