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the light wheel you Coming up, artificial intelligence in art divides students.

We share the sentimental art of writing from the heart, and we close with a beautiful hymn to freedom.

Wish to be boys was going Oh, hi.

Welcome back to applause.

I'm idea stream public media's Kabir Bhatia.

And trust me, I am not ai generated, which is totally not what a robot would say.

When it comes to the use of artificial intelligence in art, opinions, to say the least, are mixed.

At the Cleveland Institute of Art, faculty and students are facing the realities of AI at the crossroads of being creative while preparing students for an AI future.

Welcome to the extended reality studio.

While super cool.

It's kind of complicated.

I'm going to be making a short film that this series of music videos.

Artificial intelligence has played like a role in kind of problem solving.

Some of the things I will come up with, especially when it comes to managing, like the quality of like the screens or trying things with like the cameras and things like that.

Inside the Cleveland Institute of Arts Interactive Media Lab in Midtown, Professor Jimmy Keenly and student Cameron Wright use AI to assist with the studio's technology.

Initially keenly couldn't figure out the 3D video game software Unreal Engine.

I didn't know how to use the software.

I knew how to 3D model, I know how to use computers so I could figure out the basics, but I didn't know how to make it work with different shots.

So I used large language models, both Gemini and ChatGPT, to figure out how to make that workflow happen.

And through trial and success, it worked very well.

What is the way to do it?

And so we had to come up with some of our own ways of figuring that out.

Say you have a storyboard set up and you have all the camera placements for your shots.

They all have X, Y, and Z coordinates, so you can preprogram all those.

But I did not know how to do that other than conceptually.

So I just described conceptually what I needed to do.

And I knew exactly how to do it.

This is one of the ways I is part of the learning process at the Cleveland Institute of Art.

Even if you hate AI, how can you talk about it if you don't know anything about it?

When it was first coming out, you would hear people say, oh, it can't do that.

And then you would be like, well, have you used it?

Because, oh yeah, it can do that.

And so I think that exploring and having knowledge is much better than ignorance.

AI is a hot topic at CIA these days.

I think there's like a very stigmatized way that we do look at AI, especially in in art school with things like ChatGPT having it write things for you or generating pictures and things like that.

That's a lot of where the conversation revolves around, although we try to be open minded and view ways that it's actually being used in good ways so that we can stay at the forefront of the conversation and be able to have those conversations with each other.

So I encourage all of you, including some of you that I know have different opinions of AI, to be informed, because most of the time, officially, CIA is open to artificial intelligence with clear guidelines.

We are very quick to work together across a partnership between faculty and staff to develop a new AI philosophy.

And really, what that is rooted around is not about endorsing AI at all, but really endorsing learning and responsible ethics around I you know, I think none of us expected it to happen so quickly.

And so it's very important, though, that we don't allow our students to get left behind.

At the Cleveland Institute of Art main campus and University Circle, graphic design students use artificial intelligence in their creative or ideation process.

For instance, junior Haley Fuller uses AI for a graphic design assignment to create a storybook.

So I was using AI to talk about it, like, here's my idea, here's my concept.

This is what I'm considering for a visual language.

How does this translate?

Does this give the tone and just asking those questions gives you bare bones, but it gives you enough where as like a designer, you can take those bare material AI can be a tool for students to spark their creativity.

I think the AI is doing a good job at letting all faculty, staff, and students explore and navigate their own thinking around what AI is and how it should be used, and how it shouldn't be used.

I think there's a lot of confusion and a lot of questions, and I think it's really important and necessary to talk through those questions and not jump to use or jump to any sort of embrace or disqualification right away.

Upstairs from the design studios, some students have different opinions of AI and art senior Bianca Curry nugget majors in the traditional art of painting, and says she's interested to see where AI is going, but I have no desire of using it to make work, and I have no desire to looking at work made solely by AI or just having the final result be a generated image or generated text.

I think when it comes to being a painter, there's also we care about the human hand a lot because that's we are using our hands to make things.

So I think that's where the distaste for AI comes in.

Fellow senior Samantha Vaka is in the institute's drawing program and says she's not a fan.

I think that it takes away the personal creativity that is so interesting and important about art.

A lot of the times, the things that artists brains can do is one of the most impressive things, at least, that I find when I'm looking at a drawing or a painting or an animation of any kind.

And I think that I kind of takes away the personality of it.

Students worry about their future after graduation.

The potential like lose job opportunities because a lot of different companies right now are using AI very heavily and replacing, you know, actual graphic designers with just an AI bot.

That way you're crushing the entire thing.

So I think that some of the jobs will not be replaced by AI itself, but rather people who know how to use the AI tools themselves.

As a form of digital literacy, it's going to be expected.

And folks, we're already starting to see in our career as some of our employers who are coming to hire students, you know, questions about their proficiency in AI usage and the application of that.

We made virtual production.

I hope we make more in and of itself.

Understanding AI is becoming a tool for the future.

Can you imagine in a couple of years, it's going to be even more, and I hope that the students have the knowledge and the critical thinking to be able to adapt to that world, whether they want to promote that world or fight against it.

Either way, you got to be intelligent and know things.

If we use our knowledge and especially as artists, to promote the things that are good and to rail against the things that we think are bad, that'll be a good use of these new technologies.

That story and this next one are part of Idea stream explores artificial Intelligence, our week long examination of AI and its impact on northeast Ohio and beyond.

Last year in Chicago, there was quite a stir about AI generated art on a public rotating mural.

Our own Gabriel Cramer asked professional artists here in Northeast Ohio about the role of AI in public art.

Look at this.

I can type in.

Give me a painting of Steve Urkel.

In the style of Vincent van Gogh.

And in a few seconds.

There it is.

Glasses.

Suspenders in front of a starry sky.

And not a dime.

Went to Vincent van Gogh.

Or 90s comedic actor Jaleel White.

This is I. It basically pulls from all over the internet.

And it takes artwork that has already been created.

Isaiah Williams work features a lot of bold colors and realistic faces.

He has several pieces of art around Cleveland, including these murals in Midtown.

What art is, or what his has always been, is something that you pulling from the soul of the of the people like the pulse of the community.

Williams says he would feel betrayed if public art in Cleveland was not created by a person.

When you reach out to an artist, someone who's actually has a lived experience in that neighborhood, in that community, and you give them a platform to speak to the world and show like, kind of what or who we are, what we stand for.

Jordan Wang embraces computer technology when creating.

Big metal pieces are covered with his intricate graphic designs.

To say that there's no room for AI in art creation, I think, is too much of a rigid stance.

Wang has not used AI for his work yet.

He values human connection, but acknowledges I could be a helpful tool in a way that it is more a means to support a creative process and how to actually produce things, as opposed to just, hitting a button and just generating, you know, slop.

And people keep saying like, oh, it's just going to like, become more and more convincing.

It's like, yeah, maybe you'll become more and more realistic.

But, you know, as far as human, I don't know.

I don't know Chee Wang, no relation to Jordan, is another Cleveland artist.

My opinion of AI art isn't the most great.

She painted this public piano in an Asia town Cleveland shopping center with humanized fruits and vegetables.

One of the arguments about AI is that there is a lack of soul.

And I do think the artist, as in like a human person artist does give like the art a personal touch.

If all of the nonprofit organizations that I have work with prior said no more artist only, I feel a little sad.

That's really sad.

The decision to put up AI generated art is really up to those who commissioned the work.

We definitely, you know, have been thinking about are a generated art because it's coming up all over land.

Studio is an art organization that's been curating public art in Cleveland for more than three decades.

As long as as part of a a thoughtful process that still puts the artist as the lead creative and really center's community, I think there could be a place for it as long as it does not replace the artist, she says.

Being efficient isn't the only important part about public art.

You know, it's it's about creating something that has a human connection, human to human connection.

It's about the culture of the community.

I really think that we love our local artists.

I think we should continue to invest in them and continue to, you know, showcase their talent in more and more ways.

There are the artists, there are the curators, and then there's the consumers.

In this case, Cleveland.

I think our community, Cleveland specifically, is very supportive of the local arts economy.

Cleveland has a wonderful art community, and like the people, it's really supports the art.

Would our city be one that kind of just welcomes art, large scale on on our buildings and, you know, public spaces?

I would hope not.

And if that were the case, then it's our job as artists to to show them, you know, there's something even better.

This art, Giger's art, is to continue just to make dope unique, original and creative work that keeps our life.

If you're like me, when you think about artificial intelligence, you think about love expressing how you feel about someone and writing can be tough.

But skip the chat bot and listen to the experts at American Greetings.

These people write about love for a living idea streams.

Carry wise has more in this story from our archives.

It can be daunting to search for a card that conveys the message you want to send at Valentine's Day, but greeting card writers take on the challenge of writing on behalf of everyone.

When I see my own card and I'm watching someone else buy a card next to me, it just really reminds me of what cards are doing.

You know, like, people are taking the time to pick out something really special for someone they care about.

So for me, it's a really important reminder about what the task is.

At Valentine's Day, it's all about love.

Of course, that's complicated.

Love comes in all different stages, right?

You've just met.

You've been together for a long time.

You've broken up and gotten back together.

You've broken up with this person, and now you're in a relationship with this.

It's like, oh, this is what love is.

You know, so it's constantly redefining itself.

So I think that's one of the challenges.

Card creation usually starts with the copy.

American greetings writers pull inspiration everywhere from pop culture to their own lives.

We don't just sit at our desk and try to write the most romantic, fluffy thing possible.

Like, I think what's really important to a lot of the writers that I work with is that, like, it feels real and you know, that someone can feel proud to send this card because it speaks for them.

I find music very useful, so I usually have my earphones on most of the time when I'm just getting started.

The wide range of music is really a good reminder of of a lot of the different stages of love, and there's always new music coming out, right along with all the classics.

The writers compile a variety of copy for editors to peruse, some of which makes its way to the artists.

We'll read the copy and then kind of, I'll sketch out like thumbnails and ideas of what I might want the card to look like, before I move on to the final design.

And usually while I'm drawing the thumbnails, I'll think about what colors I might want to use.

What types of finishings should it be?

Really blingy.

Do I want a lot of glitter?

Do I want, like, ribbons and bows?

Designing for Valentine's Day is one of her favorite occasions.

I like that Valentine's Day can be more playful.

You know, you can have a card that says, I like you more than pizza and that's, like, really fun to design.

The challenge for all these veteran card creators is keeping things fresh.

Valentine's day, you know, with design, people expect certain things.

They expect hearts and red and roses.

So I think that's the challenge in designing for For Love is not reaching to those like same symbols over and over again.

And they try to craft messages.

You would actually say it's greeting card writers.

We are semi sociologists keeping our finger on the pulse of relationships.

Maybe I'm sending a Valentine's Day card to my stepson or grandchild.

It's really gifts from a, you know, a blended family situation.

Believe it or not, the writers behind the cards often don't see how their prose was used until they head to the store, or in some cases, receive the card.

I wrote a card, a gray card for my wife.

Okay, you know, I'm saying that I'm biased.

Totally.

And so I wrote it for a wife and then for Valentine's Day, I get this card and I start reading it.

I'm like, oh my gosh, I wrote this card for you, you know?

And the card really talked about the relationship, you know, and like, how how she makes me feel and all that.

And and like, they took this carrier, wrote her wife and turn it into a husband card and it worked.

And if you want to add a personal message to cards, these experts say make it your own.

In this day and age, people are becoming less and less apologetic about expressing their genuine feelings.

And that's a wonderful thing.

If we can keep those feelings positive.

So don't hold back.

Put down in writing what it is that you really, really want to say.

so I'm here in the newsroom at the Idea Center, just looking at the coverage map we have here on the wall.

Of course, currently we are standing in Cuyahoga, but what we're looking for are art story ideas from all of these counties.

We're talking Medina, Wayne summit.

I guess this would be the rubber bowl.

Stark.

Maybe that's the Football Hall of Fame.

I guess that's Kent State.

Maybe this is that speed trap.

there's a lot of great art stories out there.

We know it.

So let us know what you've heard about at Arts at Ideo stream.org.

And we're talking Richland and Ashland, Lorain That was exhausting.

Now let's get to know a painter working in the colorful world of acrylics.

Sidney Spivey is gallery director for All People Arts on the South side of Columbus, and she uses an array of hues in her own free flowing paintings.

I am an acrylic artist.

I also do graphic design and digital artists as well.

I dabble in all kinds of acrylic art.

Really?

Sometimes I'll just do what my mind is telling me to do.

Sometimes it just be line art or just, like, different ways of color.

If I have a specific idea, I just like to go in with as much detail as I can.

I like to just use as much color as I can.

And my very, I don't know.

My mind is very bright and light and airy.

I think that's how I carry myself.

So I think that's what I want to put into my work.

I just like brightness.

I think I think my personality reflects that.

So I use a lot of whimsical things.

I've always been a creative.

I just feel like I want to get that creative those juices out.

So I picked up a paintbrush and I would say 2017, and I really just haven't stopped since then.

I just kind of, I wouldn't say taught myself, but as my as I got more comfortable with being creative and more comfortable with with understanding my ideas, understanding my my thought process in my brain as far as how I want to get my emotions out.

So the fish represents Black History Month, of course, as the infamous sign for black power for the stones.

And I wanted to bring in the Infinity Stones and Avengers movie the artwork around then I just thought that it was pretty cool that he could just change the trajectory of the story with one simple action, and I think that really reflects during Black History Month, knowing that we as Black Americans kind of lead the way in pop culture, in a sense.

And I wanted to showcase I have my own way.

I use my phone and salesman using the watch on the on the wrist and the rings kind of just shows royalty.

This one was the first big piece I did at that time, so I was really just trying to challenge myself on how a lineup was going to look and how can I execute it.

And then I just wanted to just throw some color in the background.

Again, I just like every color I would call a piece where I don't really know what the paint is.

I'm just going to paint and just allow the paintbrush to the paintbrush to just move my brain, to just move it the way that I see fit in the moment.

Because sometimes I get into, overthinking and trying to plan too much and not really knowing how to go about it.

So I like sometimes I just sit down and just paint and just allow my, my creative expression to translate to the canvas.

What is most rewarding for me is being able to express myself in a way that not a lot of people can.

I think allowing myself to be able to express and express myself in color, and express myself in creativity and pushing myself to see what more I can do with my creativity, and not being allowed myself to not be boxed in as a creative.

I think also being able to see my ideas come to life, in front of me.

I think that is a very, I would say, a superpower in some sense.

So yeah, that would definitely be the most rewarding part about being an artist and a creative and seeing what other kinds of art can I get into with that baby?

Baby sewing or fabric work or something along those lines?

Being able to see where I can go in my creative career and on a personal level, and a professional level, is the most rewarding thing.

It's time to plug in next time.

On APPLAUSE.

Cleveland rapper Chip the Ripper is giving back by passing the mic.

thought of it as like a cipher, how people would get in a circle and display how good they can rap.

But I feel like in 2025 we need to display how good our music is We step inside this hip hop hothouse, better known as Pass the Ox, plus the student becomes the leader.

A sax man Chris calls brings his band to the Tri-C Jazz Fest for the first time.

All that and more on the next round of applause Thanks for joining this round of applause.

I, my dear, streams could be here, but here, let's say goodbye with the song declared the black national Anthem by the NAACP, written by brothers James Weldon Johnson and J. Rosamond Johnson, Lift Every Voice and Sing premiered in 1900.

Here it is performed by Cleveland's Baroque Orchestra.

Apollo's fire.

Wish to be boys was going to be with us every week with the home on these home deliveries is the only choice because I know for these these guys that this was home.

That I'm going to see since they have some sort of looking at the top.

And it's hard to say goes on all of the home and the presence class because this, you know, crisis on football is.

On and there's there's that to the story was what.

So in the wrong reads from his much they from the to the days when you go on from the time that me most every bit of us when we repeat come to a place where is other side.

We, come where was a way that with tears has been watered?

We have, treading our path through the blood on the floor.

Learn how to go.

To keep us to know how to stand us lost when the whites Creek of our rights understand.

When you can.

Production of applause and ideastream.

Public media is made possible by funding by Cuyahoga County residents through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture.