The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has introduced its first group of 'AI Lecturers' using AI-generated technology, joining the growing family of AI creations alongside 'AI singers' and 'AI weather presenters'. Thanks to cutting-edge technology, HKUST has welcomed 10 digital instructors hailing from various parts of the globe, boasting diverse nationalities, professions, and cultural backgrounds. The university anticipates that this innovative cadre of AI educators, coupled with dynamic teaching approaches, will enhance students' motivation and involvement in their educational journey. Over time, HKUST envisions crafting a tailored AI classroom experience tailored to individual student interests and preferences, pioneering a new era of teaching innovation.
Led by Prof. Pan HUI, Chair Professor of Computational Media and Arts at HKUST(Guangzhou) and Director of the Center for Metaverse and Computational Creativity (MC2) at HKUST, the research team develops the 10 AI instructors with a range of AI tools. Among these is the state-of-the-art variational 3D full-body generator developed by the team, which overcomes the limitations of similar tools and significantly enhances the characters' body movements and the authenticity of their facial expressions, ensuring a highly immersive learning experience for students. Other AI tools utilized include the prompt-based AI image generator 'Midjourney', the chatbot 'ChatGPT' and 'Bing', an open-source audio-driven image talking face animation generator 'SadTalker', and the team's enhanced version of the open-source 3D facial animation tool 'EmoTalk'.
During this semester, the University has tasked these instructors with teaching segments of "Social Media for Creatives," a course open to students from both HKUST and HKUST(GZ). Their teaching duties span a variety of engaging subjects within the realm of social media, such as storytelling, gamification, immersive technologies, Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), nudge theory, and the influence of social media. The primary objective of the course is to acquaint students with the commonalities and distinctive features of social networks while equipping them with the ability to utilize multimedia and technology effectively in their research endeavors.
In order to boost students' learning drive, the AI teaching team strategically incorporates a varied mix of characters, each characterized by unique nationalities, personalities, and professional backgrounds. These personas range from influencers to policy advocates spanning diverse fields and even include 2D and 3D anime figures. Notably, the late scientist Albert Einstein has been 'revived' using AI technology and joins the teaching team. This diverse ensemble aims to enhance the classroom experience by surpassing geographical and cultural limitations.
Prof Hui said, "The emergence of AI opens up a world of infinite possibilities in education. This study not only offers students unique and exciting experiences but also inspires them to contemplate the application of AI across diverse fields. It also paves the way for pioneering research in AI-driven pedagogy. As collaborative partners to human teachers, AI teachers possess the ability to transform previously mundane subjects into captivating ones. With their support, we hope teachers will be able to devote more time to addressing students' individual learning needs and exploring innovative teaching models".
Renowned for its pioneering spirit in education, HKUST leads the way as the first university in Hong Kong to advocate for the integration of ChatGPT into teaching methodologies. Additionally, the university allocated HKD 10 million last year to establish the Education and Generative AI (EDGE-AI) Fund, aimed at incentivizing academic staff to incorporate AI into their teaching practices.