The Stuckeman School in the Penn State College of Arts and Architecture is hosting an interdisciplinary symposium on artificial intelligence (AI) use in the arts and design fields March 26-27, 2027, at the Nittany Lion Inn.
Titled "AI Ecologies and the Future of Art and Design," the two-day hybrid symposium aims to examine how AI is already impacting the arts and architecture and how it may shape their future development. While there is considerable speculation about AI's long-term implications, the goal of the symposium is to identify emerging trends, examine a range of possible futures and discuss both the opportunities and challenges associated with different approaches.
The event will bring together a diverse group of speakers, including both proponents of AI and more skeptical voices. A group of invited speakers who are leading voices in the field will drive the discussion during comprehensive sessions, while authors of accepted papers will present their work in breakout sessions. Through presentations, panels and open discussions, the aim is to encourage critical engagement with the topic and create a space for thoughtful exchange. The organizers' goal is for attendees to actively contribute to the dialogue and leave with a deeper and more nuanced understanding of AI's role in the future of the arts and architecture.
José Pinto Duarte, interim architecture department head in the Stuckeman School, and Aaron Knochel, endowed chair and program director of art education at the University of Arkansas School of Art, are co-organizing the event.
"AI is rapidly permeating society at multiple levels. While its impact in some domains has been widely discussed, its implications for the creative fields of the arts, design and architecture remain less well understood," Pinto Duarte said. "We believe this symposium will help shed light on these questions by exploring how AI is transforming creative practice, education and research, as well as the broader implications of these transformations for society."
Additional information, including details about invited speakers, paper submission and registration, can be found on the symposium website.
