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Artificial Intelligence (AI) Statement and Guidelines

Statement on Artificial Intelligence
For the Education of Artists and Designers

Historically, the advent of new technologies has often been met with both trepidation and enthusiasm, so it is no surprise that recent rapid advances in the field of generative AI have rightfully prompted serious discussion on how it should be addressed in art and design education. As we engage with emerging developments in generative AI, it is useful to turn to our mission statement for guidance.


As a college of art and design, fostering the creative endeavors of our students is central to SVA’s educational mission. Equally important is preparing our students for careers in the fields of art and design. As such, we recognize that generative AI literacy must become an institutional learning outcome. All students should be graduating with a working knowledge of the benefits and hazards of generative AI, particularly the ethical implications. Like all digital tools and products, the approach to incorporating AI into the curriculum may necessarily vary by discipline. However, in all instances, generative AI should be approached as a means not an end with the potential to augment students’ studio practice and academic work, but never as an alternative to the process of creative and intellectual exploration.


Academic (and creative) integrity is an enduring core value of the College. An essential aim of an arts education is for students to discover their own thinking and voices. Therefore, transparency around all uses of generative AI is imperative. As conceptual artist Sol Lewitt once wrote, “Some artists confuse new materials with new ideas.” By fostering a critical mindset, SVA educators hope to ensure that students approach generative AI not just as the latest technology but also as a subject of inquiry and reflection, considering the ethical and philosophical implications of its use—or not—in art and design practice. To facilitate this, SVA is committed to engaging in continuous dialogues with all institutional stakeholders and to offering guidance in the form of professional development opportunities as well as institutional guidelines to support our faculty and students.

Written by the Advisory Committee on Technology and Education. Members include the following SVA faculty and staff: Jimmy Calhoon, chair, BFA 3D Animation and Visual Effects; Jeremy Cohan, director, Honors program; Christopher Cyphers, provost; Rochele Gloor, assistant director of innovation tech, MFA Computer Arts; Joey Gonnella, faculty, BFA Visual and Critical Studies; Steve Heller, chair emeritus, MFA Design; Tom Huhn, chair, BFA Visual and Critical Studies and Art History; Caitlin Kilgallen, director, SVA Libraries; Kevin Kerr, lead principal consultant, Information Security Services; Viktor Kohen, chair, BFA Illustration and Comics; Kyoko Miyabe, chair, Humanities and Sciences; Frank Martinez, faculty, BFA Design; Jennifer Phillips, director, Office of Learning Technologies; Emily Ross, associate provost (chair).

Institutional Guidelines on AI

  • Allowance of generative AI use should be determined primarily at the departmental level. Considerations beyond the general use, if any, of these tools should define:

    • in what stages of the creative process the tools are allowed;
    • how works using generative AI will be graded;
    • to what extent, if any, generative AI use is allowed for work for exhibitions or thesis shows.


    If faculty would like to make an exception to department policy, they must request permission from the chair. However, in multi-section courses, the chair should enforce a standard policy across all sections.


    Where generative AI is prohibited by a particular department, any violations of that department’s generative AI policy will be handled in the same manner as a case of academic dishonesty, including plagiarism, as noted above.


    Students should be made aware that the technologies that make generative AI possible are constantly changing, and that departmental and institutional policies governing their use are subject to change.


    Faculty who choose to incorporate generative AI into their course(s) are strongly encouraged to attend the AI Basics for Educators workshop offered by the Office of Learning Technologies. Contact to request a list of upcoming workshops.

  • Generative AI is addressed in the Institutional Policy section of the syllabus. All course syllabi should also include the departmental generative AI policy, if one exists. The following resources, related to the responsible use of generative AI, are also included in the institutional policy section of the SVA syllabus.


    Faculty should state the expectations for the use of generative AI in the class and for specific assignments. The syllabus should clearly state: what types of GenAI tools are allowed; how they will be used; the components of the assignment in which AI use is allowed; and if the use of the tools is limited to the activities proposed in the syllabus.


    The preferred citation format should also be included. In any assignment where AI use is allowed, it must be explicitly noted on the syllabus.

  • For assignments, students should document and attribute the use of generative AI for specific portions of the assignment (for example: used ChatGPT to summarize or to paraphrase, used MidJourney to generate concept images, etc.), and should provide information about the generative AI platform(s) used, prompts, coding, or other inputs employed to generate various iterations up to and including the final work. Faculty should identify the required documentation on the syllabus.


    Students may use APA, MLA, or Chicago citation formats when citing generative AI in their written work unless otherwise specified by faculty on the syllabus. A subscription to the Chicago Manual of Style can be accessed through the library here.

  • Exceptions to departmental policy for particular students should be accommodated as deemed necessary by the Office of Disability Resources.


    Generative AI can be used to provide greater accessibility to assignments and may allow students to engage with their learning materials and express their creative skills at the highest level.

  • When incorporating AI into your curriculum, the class should discuss the intent and goals of using a specific tool. Subjects to consider include but are not limited to:

    • Inaccuracy of AI text generators such as Chat GPT
    • Images generated using generative AI lack stylistic consistency and cannot be easily replicated
    • High likelihood of bias in results, which can reinforce harmful stereotypes
    • Risk of inaccurate and false information (“hallucination”)
    • AI potentially scrapes and memorizes personal data, facilitating fraud and identity theft
    • Generative AI models are trained on images without properly obtaining copyright permission, depriving artists of their livelihood
    • Environmental impact from increased energy and water use
    • Cost considerations, as companies are increasingly moving to subscription models

  • Like generative AI tools, AI detection tools are rapidly evolving. At the moment, however, these tools are often inaccurate and have a tendency to result in false positives. The College does not currently recommend relying on AI detection tools. If you suspect misuse of generative AI, speak with your student and ask them to walk you through the process of how they completed the assignment. Refrain from immediately concluding that the student has violated SVA’s Academic Integrity policy. Institutional policies will inevitably change as AI detection software evolves and student AI literacy increases.

  • There are several basic AI literacy training resources available at SVA to provide faculty with technical skills training and information on the considerations surrounding these tools.


    Classroom Presentations About Generative AI: Faculty can schedule a 30- to 60-minute classroom visit with an SVA librarian. In this session, a librarian will give a brief overview of AI, its systemic biases, evaluation methods, and finding alternative resources. Access the request form here.


    Faculty Assistance Using Generative AI: Faculty can click here to schedule a one-on-one meeting to receive assistance using generative AI tools or talk through ways to incorporate this new technology into classroom assignments or discussions with students. Small group workshops are available to learn the basics of generative AI as well as discuss best practices with fellow faculty members. Email for a list of upcoming workshops.


    Faculty Knowledge Base: SVA’s Curriculum and Technology Committee has contributed to a new Artificial Intelligence page in the College’s Faculty Knowledge Base in Canvas. Click here to review resources and add your own questions and ideas via the Faculty AI Discussion.