Elisava's MAIAD Program Trains Designers to Critically Engage with AI

The Master in Applied AI for Arts and Design (MAIAD) at Elisava is a one-year course available in Barcelona (English) and Madrid (Spanish) designed to empower creatives to thoughtfully interact with artificial intelligence. Led by Pau Garcia and Marta Handenawer from Domestic Data Streamers, the program features modules like 'Writing Against Algorithmic Mediation' taught by Anne Quito, 'AI & Sculpture' with Marce Maderios, and 'Hype & AI' by Andreu Belsunces. The faculty comprises acclaimed figures from Ars Electronica, artists from Taller Estampa and Mans-O, and curator Lluís Nacenta. Students engage in five interrelated practices, focusing on ethics, tool development (Python, Midjourney, TouchDesigner), interactive applications, and research, culminating in a thesis. Noteworthy projects include Zeynep Atik's 'Generated Nostalgia' and Tara Monheim's 'Great Again: The Politics of Nostalgia.' The program positions AI as a medium for artistic exploration and critical inquiry, aiming to cultivate creators who influence cultural production and distribution.