Kenneth Collins uses AI not just to create art but to investigate what it means to be human in a digital age. “Creative research is not peripheral but absolutely central to comprehending AI’s reconstruction of human identity, authorship, and expression in the 21st century,” he said. Collins uses text, image, video, speech, music, and sound-generation algorithms to produce work that sparks dialogue about the ethical and aesthetic implications of AI across disciplines. His AI-driven artworks have been exhibited internationally, and he pioneered one of the first university courses in AI filmmaking and a companion festival for student work. Through the fellowship, he plans to position Utah as a leader by hosting interdisciplinary workshops, building a “living laboratory” for AI-human collaboration, and launching outreach initiatives that bring AI art experiences to underserved communities.
