Celebrating Reggie the Lion’s centennial milestone, Andrés Gvirtz delves into his groundbreaking use of artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education at King’s College London. However, this iconic figure took on a new role earlier this year as it became the focal point of Dr. Andrés Gvirtz’s pioneering venture into integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into the classroom.
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Dr. Andrés Gvirtz, an assistant professor in marketing technology and innovation at KCL’s business school, recognized the potential of AI in creating bespoke illustrations for lecture materials. Departing from the conventional use of generic stock images, he embraced generative AI, specifically text-to-image models, to give life to tailor-made content for his students.
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Amid prevalent uncertainty and apprehension about AI in higher education, Gvirtz saw an opportunity to optimise visuals and make them more personal and relatable. A survey revealed that over half of researchers believed generative AI might complicate the assessment of student learning. Gvirtz, however, found a compelling use case in the optimization of visuals for teaching materials.
Experimenting with AI tools like OpenAI’s DALL-E, Stability AI’s Stable Diffusion, and Midjourney text-to-image models, Gvirtz discovered the potential of AI-generated imagery to amplify the content of his lectures. Overcoming potential copyright challenges, he incorporated Reggie the Lion into his teaching slides, illustrating psychological studies, consumer behaviour, and retail scenarios.
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Gvirtz acknowledged the evolution of AI tools, noting that what once required coding and computer infrastructure knowledge in 2022 now only demands a simple login. While these models excel at creating photorealistic images of humans, they face challenges in generating content that is not present in their training data.
For Gvirtz, the “AI Reggie campaign” wasn’t just a creative exercise but a means to visualise abstract concepts through personalised AI-generated art. The incorporation of these images ignited enthusiasm and curiosity among students, creating a bridge between individual journeys and the university’s history.
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The success of the AI Reggie campaign led Gvirtz to plan for a more active role for Reggie in student life. A survey of his students revealed that the personalised AI-generated images enhanced their experience, making it memorable and fostering a sense of connection to the university mascot.
Moving forward, Gvirtz aims to co-create with students, further integrating Reggie into the learning experience. The goal is to strengthen lecture materials and encourage students to explore the technology frontier themselves. In doing so, the AI-infused teaching approach not only captivates students’ attention but also propels them into the exciting realm of emerging technologies.
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