Higher education has been rapidly reshaped by the widespread availability of Large Language Models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT. These artificial intelligence applications are designed for text-processing tasks, trained on vast datasets, and optimised to generate responses based on user prompts. LLMs are capable of adapting to specific writing styles and producing a wide variety of outputs—from simple emails to critical essays and creative works.
Within the School of Communication and Arts, our response to this disruption has required us not only to adapt teaching and assessment practices in disciplines that rely heavily on written communication and visual media, but also to consider the broader implications of AI for our students, their future professions, and the diverse fields represented within the school.
To address these challenges, the School established the AI Working Party (AIWP) in 2025. This group brings together teachers and researchers across disciplines including public relations, strategic communication, creative and professional writing, digital media, and museum studies. Its purpose is to provide a coordinated response to the opportunities and risks posed by AI. The Working Party aims to act as a bridge between teachers, students, and industry, developing pedagogical strategies that uphold academic integrity while also preparing graduates for the workplace. By fostering adaptability and critical engagement with emerging technologies, the group seeks to equip students with the skills needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.
At UQ’s School of Communication and Arts, we recognise the importance of building strong partnerships between universities and industry. Through our annual events, we bring industry leaders into dialogue with our academics, combining professional expertise with research and teaching strengths to explore AI’s impact on practice, creativity, and culture.
This collaboration allows us to consider not only the practical applications of AI in communication, media, and the arts, but also its broader implications—ethical, social, commercial and creative. It also opens space for exploring AI-inspired creative works, from drama and literature to digital storytelling, ensuring that students and researchers alike engage critically and imaginatively with this rapidly evolving technology.
Through these partnerships, the School is committed to preparing graduates who are equipped with the adaptability, critical insight, and creativity needed to navigate and shape a future in which AI will play a defining role.
This resource presents the Working Party’s recommendations for engaging with AI at UQ's School of Communication and Arts. It outlines ethical considerations, provides background on industry expectations regarding graduates’ AI competencies, and offers strategies for integrating AI into both pedagogical practice and creative arts practice.