B.C. university professor to teach course alongside AI sidekick

This fall, a Simon Fraser University professor will be joined by a 3D artificial intelligence sidekick to teach students.

A new course starting at Simon Fraser University this fall could offer a glimpse at the future of learning.

In what’s being dubbed a world’s first, SFU professor Steve DiPaola will be teaching alongside a fully-expressive 3D artificial intelligence sidekick.

DiPaola developed the AI, named “Kia,” at the School of Interactive Arts and Technology’s iViz research lab, where the university boasts it interacts with him using real-time facial expressions, lip syncing and emotive body language.

The intention behind bringing Kia into the classroom is to help explore the principles, potential and ethics of AI technologies while growing AI literacy—not to be a teaching replacement.

DiPaola told CTV News Kia will have discussions, debate complex topics and help create a uniquely interactive student experience.

“What better way to talk about AI ethics than to bring AI into the classroom to teach alongside me? Performatively, I think it engages students about the real issues,” said DiPaola.

“I want to ‘anthropomorphize’ AI by bringing in this talking, emotive 3D character because students see so much of this on social media, and I want to expose AI for what it is and what it isn’t.”

DiPaola, who has been an AI researcher for more than 25 years, with his career spanning Silicon Valley, Electronic Arts and Stanford University, explained that while Kia may appear to be an engaged robot, it is created and guided by humans.

But that doesn’t mean the technology can’t help people in a variety of ways.

Charlotte Hou, one of the SFU master’s students working in DiPaolo’s lab, is researching how AI can be used to empower women by improving their salary negotiation skills.

“I studied negotiation at Columbia University,” said Hou. “Then I decided to pick up technology as the second field because it can help us to really improve the efficiency and effectiveness.”

And how would that work in practice? Essentially, an employee would prompt the AI to adopt the characteristics of their boss, allowing the worker to practise negotiating for higher wages, Hou said. That could help them walk into the discussion with less anxiety.

According to SFU, the course – IAT 111: Artificial Intelligence Today and Tomorrow – provides students from all disciplines with a comprehensive but non-technical exploration of the technologies.

SFU said the course was designed for students with no prior AI experience, math or programming knowledge, and aims to demystify the technology while equipping graduates with the knowledge they’ll need to adapt and thrive in an increasingly AI-driven world.

DiPaola and Kia both assured to CTV News that the AI will not be grading any assignments.