CAS in Artificial Intelligence for Creative Practices

With the advent of ChatGPT and the explosion of AI-driven apps and websites, the importance and the demands for digital technical skills are also increasing in the arts and other creative fields. The amount of available data and the rapidly growing computing capacity allow for artistic applications that could only be dreamt of in the past. Artists and creative professionals can work alongside AI to create innovative works of art. As with other disruptive technology, the resulting potential for automation represents a huge benefit to human society, but also brings new challenges and risks. Artists and creative professionals have the opportunity in this CAS to acquire the necessary skills to create with AI and the knowledge to challenge and comment on them.

The program is structured into six modules, running over 20 course days from August to January and will end in June with a public exhibition of the works-in-progress. The target are art students and professionals from the public and private sector. The content covers a wide range of applications in the arts, from movement, and the use of sensors to images, sound generation, and natural language applications. It also includes modules looking at AI from a historical, cultural, aesthetic, and technical perspective, as well as neural networks and convolutional neural networks. The teaching and learning approaches are focused on teamwork and discussion and aim to develop practical skills. The course is structured to facilitate the access to AI through hands-on examples. The program is practice-oriented in the sense that it focuses on the concepts and use of AI, data infrastructures and software tools, rather than on their theoretical elaborations from a mathematical, statistical and computer science perspective. The theoretical elaborations will focus on historical, cultural, aesthetic, and technical questions. The challenge for the participants will be to balance an intense technical training that comprises mathematical, statistical and informatics concepts with their creative practice. The format is designed to align with the participants main study and/or professional activities.

Before the start of the CAS, crash courses on Python and on basic mathematical concepts for machine learning are offered at the University of Bern.

Objectives

Course competence is developed throughout six modules. Upon completion, graduates will:

• be familiar with key cultural, philosophical, and aesthetic questions, and ethical debates around AI;
• have a basic understanding of common neural network architectures and be able to train and assess these neural networks for artistic and creative applications;
• be able to perform basic image processing and know the most important applications;
• be able to process sound with deep neural networks and know the most important applications;
• be able to process movement data with deep neural networks and know the most important applications;
• be able to perform basic Natural Language Processing with deep learning models and know the most important applications.

Language

All courses, exams, and course materials are in English.

If there are free places, modules can be attended individually.

Module 1: AI and ML Fundamentals     24.08.2024 - 26.08.2024

In this block module, you will approach basic AI and ML concepts from a historical, cultural, aesthetic, and technical perspective in order to perform machine learning.
Module 1 is a block seminar in presence.

Module 2: Neural Networks          27.08.2024 - 30.08.2024

In this second block module, you will learn about different neural networks and explore common applications in art and other creative practices.
Module 2 is a block module in hybrid format.

Module 3: AI for Movement/Sensing: Realtime interaction        14.10.2024 - 18.10.2024

In this block, you will focus on deep learning for generating data from movement and vice versa. We will also consider realtime interactions and the loops thereby generated.
This is a block module in presence.

Module 4: AI for Imaging           weekly from 25.10.2024 - 15.11.2024

In this module you will learn how to process and generate images using deep learning and convolutional neural networks. The module runs weekly for a month in hybrid format.

Module 5: AI for sound          weekly from 22.11.2024 - 13.12.2024

This module comprises you learning about common sound patterns, how to collect and represent sound data, train models with them, generate new patterns with the trained models, and get an overview of the common AI sound applications in art and other creative practices. The module runs weekly for a month.

Module 6: AI for Natural Language          07.01.2025 - 10.01.2025

In this block module, you will learn basic natural language processing techniques using deep learning, as well as common applications in the art and other creative fields.
Module 6 traditionally takes place in the beautiful historic hotel Regina in the ski resort of Mürren (Bernese Oberland), only about two hours by train from Bern. Accomodation in the hotel with full board is included in the CAS fee.

All modules

The duration of all modules corresponds to approximately 20 classroom hours each and module work (expected workload 30 hours), with each complete module qualifying for 2 ECTS points. The expected workload for the CAS final Project is 120 hours for 4CTS. The main tools and languages used are Python and libraries such as TensorFlow ad PyTorch. Other tools may be used with limited support from the teaching staff. Computational resources are at disposal if necessary.

Information Events

Learn everything you need to know about the CAS AICP. One introduction is mandatory, remote participation is possible. 

Introductionary courses

Prepare yourself for the CAS Modules. We offer the following introductionary courses to refresh your knowledge.

Modules

All Information about Modules 1-6. 

Course materials are accessed via the Ilias Learning Platform. The Link to the course content will appear here. 

Events and other important dates

Information Events

Learn everything you need to know about the CAS AICP. One introduction is mandatory, remote participation is possible. 

Introductionary courses

Prepare yourself for the CAS Modules. We offer the following introductionary courses to refresh your knowledge.

Modules

All Information about Modules 1-6. 

Course materials are accessed via the Ilias Learning Platform. The Link to the course content will appear here. 

Events and other important dates

The Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in Artificial Intelligence for Creative Practices (AICP) is offered by the Mathematical Institute of the University of Bern and by the Continuing Education Department of the Zurich University of the Arts.

Program management

• Prof. Dr. Jan Draisma (UniBE MAI)
• PD Dr. Sigve Haug (director of studies) (UniBE MAI)
• Prof. Dr. Christiane Tretter (chair) (UniBE MAI)
• Prof. Dr. Thomas Wihler (UniBE MAI)
• Prof. Dr. Christopher Salter (ZHdK IA)
• Regula Stibi (ZHdK)

Lecturers

Lecturers include

• PD Dr. Sigve Haug (UniBE MAI)
• Dr. Mykhailo Vladimirov (UniBE MAI)
• Dr. Guillaume Witz (UniBE MAI)
• Dr. Geraldine Schaller Conti (UniBE MAI)
• Dr. Sukanya Nath (UniBE MAI)
• Prof. Dr. Christopher Salter (ZHdK IA)
• Dr. Daniel Bisig (ZHdK)
• et al. 

Target groups

Aimed at students and professionals from the public and private sector who hold a degree from a university, university of applied sciences, or university of arts (e.g. BA, BFA, MA, MFA, BSc, MSc, PhD).

• Suitable and intended for practitioners of any art form and creative practice ► Understand how AI can be introduced and support your own creative process as a performer, visual or media-based artist, and in your creative work.
• Relevant for freelance and institutional technical professionals ► Know the possibilities that AI offers
• Suitable for commercial or institutional professional designers ► Create your own applications with your own data
• Suitable for professional working for institutions in the art sector ► Gain an overview of AI and what lies behind the magic of AI/the black box

Standard data sets are provided, but participants are encouraged to bring or acquire their own. lf you have any questions about whether this program is for you, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Admission requirements

• A university, university of applied science, or university of arts degree.
• Exceptions to the admission requirements can be approved by the program management “sur Dossier”.
• Interested parties who only wish to take part in individual modules can be admitted, if places are available.

The program management decides on admission to the course. There is no entitlement to admission.

Registered participants will receive acceptance confirmation by email and will be invited to one of the next information events. Attendance to one information event is mandatory. Participants can cancel their registrations free of charge up to the registration deadline. After the deadline, the regulations apply. Individual modules and electives can be attended before the registration.

Registration opens in November and a maximum of 20 registrations per year can be accepted. Registrations are processed in the order of arrival. The CAS can only be offered if sufficient registrations are received by the application deadline. For applications after the deadline, please contact us directly.

Deadline: 2024-07-01

Per year there are 20 places. Registrations are accepted in the order of arrival. A waiting list is maintained.

Program fees

• Regular CAS program: CHF 9’600
• Employees & Students of University of Bern and of Zurich University of the Arts: CHF 5’600
• Early Bird offer for the first 10 inscriptions until 01.03.2025: CHF 8'600
• Payment in installments is possible.
• Inclusive of all modules, performance assessments, certificates, materials & teaching platforms, coffee breaks, full hotel pension (Module 6) and diploma reception.
• Participants must supply their own laptops.

lf places are available, modules can be attended individually. Prices are CHF 300 per half day. Individual modules are accredited with certificates that are cumulative for the full CAS AICP.

Application deadline

Registration opens in November and a maximum of 20 registrations can be accepted each year. Registrations are processed in the order of arrival. The CAS can only be offered if there are sufficient registrations by the deadline.

Deadline: 2025-07-01