About
Creative AI Hub
The Creative AI Hub at Toronto Metropolitan University is dedicated to exploring the transformative role of artificial intelligence in the creative industries, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, and shaping the future of AI-driven innovation. As AI continues to revolutionize design, media, storytelling, and digital arts, the hub serves as a dynamic space for creatives, practitioners, educators, and researchers to engage with emerging technologies, critically examine their implications, and harness their potential responsibly.
Areas of Focus
Developing partnerships between academia, industry, and government
Spinning off projects into startups, advancing students to the Zone network, and supporting AI entrepreneurs
Advancing the Creative AI Supercourse, developing AI micromodules/courses, and training 20 highly qualified personnel (HQP) per year
Applied research in AI, publication in peer-reviewed journals, and securing patents
Securing research grants & enabling affiliate faculty grants
Leadership
Launched in 2023 by Dr. Hossein Rahnama and Dr. Afsoon Soudi, the Creative AI Hub is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive community where innovative research, experimentation, and dialogue converge to advance knowledge and practice. By providing a platform for collaboration and critical discourse, the hub seeks to navigate the ethical, technical, and artistic dimensions of AI, ensuring that creativity remains at the forefront of technological progress. With the Creative AI Symposium as a cornerstone event, the hub will continue to drive meaningful conversations and knowledge exchange, positioning Toronto Metropolitan University as a leader in the intersection of AI and creativity.
Dr. Hossein Rahnama is a Professor at the MIT Media Lab and Toronto Metropolitan University. He is also the Founder and CEO of Flybits, an AI/ Data Science company. His research is focused on the design of Human-AI Systems , data governance for generative AI, human-computer interaction, and the “system of systems” design of data-driven applications. He has published more than 40 papers and holds 23 patents in computer and data science.
He previously served as a council member at NSERC (National Science and Research Engineering Council of Canada) and is currently on the board of directors of Home Capital Group and Canadian Science Publishing. He is a founding fellow at the MIT Connection Science Group and one of the Global Directors of MIT Media Lab’s City Science Group. He Was on MIT Technology Review Global TR35 list (2012) and Canada's Top 40 under 40 (2017).
Dr. Afsoon Soudi is an Assistant Professor at Toronto Metropolitan University and the Associate Director of the Creative AI Hub at The Creative School. Prior to TMU, she led machine intelligence teams to develop an audience analytics platform and recommender systems enabling discoverability and personalization in digital media products. In addition to her academic experience, Dr. Soudi is a tech-based entrepreneur. As a co-founder and VP of R&D of an award winning software company (which was later acquired), she led a multidisciplinary team of researchers and developers on technology commercialization and developing ML products for B2B applications. Dr. Soudi completed her Ph.D. in Physics at Washington State University. She holds multiple patents and published numerous peer-reviewed papers in high-impact journals. Her current research interests intersect Responsible AI, climate change and media analytics.
Affiliate Faculty
Our Co-Founding Partner
The Creative AI Hub's co-founding partner, Flybits Inc., a Toronto-based leader in AI research, was initially incubated at TMU.
Renowned for creating personalized consumer experiences, Flybits Inc. actively supports various Creative AI Hub activities. This partnership signifies a shared vision for advancing AI research and applications, representing a significant stride in the field.
