AI in Course Design: Smarter, Faster, Still Human
Sep 22, 2025Artificial intelligence is everywhere in the headlines — often framed as a threat to education. But what if AI isn’t replacing educators, but equipping them to work smarter and faster?
That’s the perspective Dr. Jennifer Brock brings from her leadership at the Academy of Art University. Tasked with producing highly media-rich online courses in subjects like painting, fashion design, and animation, her team faced the challenge of speed without sacrificing quality. By rethinking processes and integrating AI tools, they cut course development time in half — from 30 weeks to 15.
How? By using AI as a design accelerator:
- Generating assessment questions and discussion prompts that faculty refine.
- Summarizing key concepts to support video outlines and course materials.
- Suggesting outcomes and activities aligned to course objectives.
Importantly, AI doesn’t replace subject matter experts. Faculty review every suggestion, bringing their artistry and expertise to ensure accuracy and authenticity. The result is a process that’s faster, more efficient, and still deeply human.
For higher education leaders, this offers a blueprint: embrace AI not as a shortcut, but as a support system. The goal isn’t efficiency alone — it’s freeing faculty to spend more time where their impact matters most: mentoring, inspiring, and guiding students.
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