The Creative School launches new artificial intelligence hub focused on creativity

The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University launches Canada's first-ever hub focused on Creative Artificial Intelligence (AI). The Creative AI Hub aims to advance the field of data science and artificial intelligence with a focus on creativity, design innovation, and storytelling. It provides academics, researchers and students a unique opportunity to explore the unlimited possibilities of interconnecting data science, automation technology, and creativity.

“The Creative AI Hub is a place where creators, researchers, teachers and students from various disciplines collaborate to explore the connection between data science and creative inspiration,” says Charles Falzon, Dean of The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University. “Through education and research, we aim to nurture thought leadership and shape the future of AI, empowering individuals to create innovative solutions that positively impact society.” 

The one-of-a-kind interdisciplinary hub within Toronto Metropolitan University is kickstarting its activities with co-founding partner Flybits Inc., a Toronto-based company, originally incubated at Toronto Metropolitan University. Flybits Inc. enables enterprises to create highly personalized, trustworthy and engaging consumer experiences through data alliances and artificial intelligence. 

With the help of grants from Canada’s national innovation cluster Scale AI, Flybits Inc. is providing seed funding to activate and support the initiative over its first three years. The Creative AI Hub stimulates and explores the unlimited possibilities of AI and data science through curricular, co-curricular, research and development activities using an interdisciplinary approach.

"Flybits is thrilled to be the founding industry partner of the Creative AI Hub and to connect the creative industries with the AI ecosystem,” says William Hoffman, Senior Director of Data Strategy at Flybits Inc. “Combining the cutting edge commercial insights from Flybits Labs with the rich resources of the Creative AI Hub will create a highly unique environment for TMU students, faculty and researchers to explore with AI innovation. Having access to world-class AI tools will unlock an array of opportunities to revolutionize the creative industries.”

Dr. Hossein Rahnama has been appointed as the inaugural Director of the Creative AI Hub. Dr. Rahnama is an Associate Professor at RTA School of Media at The Creative School and a Visiting Professor at MIT Media Lab. His research into artificial intelligence and contextual computing led to Flybits Inc.'s creation over a decade ago. As such, it was natural for the company to return to the University to grow research and intellectual property creation in AI to the next level. 

“The Hub's interdisciplinary approach, with its focus on creativity and design innovation, not only provides opportunities for students and researchers to gain hands-on experience and develop skills sought after in the workforce, but also emphasizes the importance of equipping them with the tools to use AI ethically and responsibly,” says Dr. Rahnama. “This will undoubtedly have a significant impact on advancing AI advancements across multiple disciplines."

Rahnama currently teaches a Creative AI course at The Creative School, which aims to explore creative applications of generative AI across various benefiting sectors. 

“The course gives students the opportunity to explore the unlimited possibilities of generative AI in their creative projects and ways they can use AI to push the boundaries of creativity,” said Dr. Rahnama. Current student projects from the Creative AI course transcend a number of industries, including ideas spanning across tourism, fashion and news. The student projects display the ways Creative AI pushes the boundaries of creativity as it’s known today.  

The Hub is home to various Creative AI activities within The Creative School, including the Flybits Labs for Creative AI, which is located at 10 Dundas Street, and directed by Dr. Richard Lachman, Associate Professor of Digital Media and Director of Research and Development at The Creative School. The Labs activities include training researchers, students, and highly qualified personnel (HQP) from around the world who do not have a background in AI on designing and developing predictive interfaces, and generative AI capability to gain an understanding of integrating design and AI excellence in one program. The talent includes Dr. Afsoon Soudi, an Assistant Professor in Media Production, whose research is focused on ethical approaches and applications of machine learning, exploring the symbiosis of the deep science of AI with usability, learnability, explainability, and ethical aspects of AI usage across various disciplines.

The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University

The Creative School is a dynamic faculty that is making a difference in new, unexplored ways. Made up of Canada’s top professional schools and transdisciplinary hubs in media, communication, design and cultural industries, The Creative School offers students an unparalleled global experience in the heart of downtown Toronto.