LABASAD launches a new master’s to rethink how creatives use AI

The creative world has always adapted to new tools – from the printing press to Photoshop – but few shifts have felt as destabilising, or as divisive, as the rise of generative AI. Once hailed as a breakthrough for experimentation, AI is now frequently caught in the crossfire of debates about authorship, originality, and ethics. For many creatives, the technology has begun to feel less like a co-pilot and more like a content factory, spitting out homogenised aesthetics at dizzying speed.

But what if the problem isn’t AI itself, but how we’ve been taught to use it? That’s the question at the heart of LABASAD’s new area dedicated to Artificial Intelligence and its first programme: the Online Master’s in Generative Artificial Intelligence for Creatives. LABASAD (Barcelona School of Arts & Design) is an online design school known for its globally connected, hands-on approach to creative education, and this new development in their creative remit comes as no surprise.

“We want our students to see AI not as something to fear, but something they can shape,” Isabelita Virtual, the programme’s director explains. Rather than treating AI as a quick fix for visual output, LABASAD’s course encourages creative professionals to explore the why and what for – not just the how. “Any motivated person can watch a tutorial,” Isabelita adds, “but what sets our programme apart is its focus on critical thinking, ethical reflection, and artistic authorship.”

In a digital ecosystem increasingly governed by algorithms and driven by speed, LABASAD is advocating for something slower, deeper, and more deliberate. The curriculum touches on everything from the historical evolution of AI to questions of bias, authorship, and intellectual property, topics that are often overlooked in more tool-centric courses.

Of course, the programme also covers the technical side: students receive hands-on training in advanced prompting, automation, image and sound generation, and creative coding. But the emphasis is always on integration. For example, how can certain tools extend your creative voice rather than dilute it?

“AI can be an amplifier,” Isabelita tells us, “but only if you understand your own creative instincts first.” Rather than churning out generic AI outputs that mimic what’s already popular, the course pushes students to develop a unique point of view and the confidence to stand by it.

The teaching team reflects this hybrid approach, blending deep technical knowledge with critical and conceptual rigour. Among the faculty are artists and technologists like Bruno Vianna, Boris Eldagsen, Francesco D’Isa, and Cris Checa, all of whom are actively contributing to the evolving discourse around AI and creativity.

Several instructors were also part of OpenAI’s Sora Alpha Artists initiative, which was a global group of artists and educators selected to experiment with early versions of image-to-video AI tools. “They don’t just know how to use these systems,” says Isabelita, “they know how to teach others to use them in meaningful, responsible, and original ways.”

LABASAD’s approach is deeply shaped by its global student community and its commitment to practical, real-world education. With over 30 online master’s programmes in design, creativity, and photography, students and teachers from across Latin America, Europe, and the US come together in a truly international learning environment

Classes are held live every week — what LABASAD calls “#Onlive” — so students can join from anywhere and still feel connected to their peers and professors. All sessions are recorded and made available afterward, offering maximum flexibility. Each student is also supported by a dedicated academic coordinator, ensuring personalised guidance and a sense of connection throughout the programme.

What sets LABASAD apart is its focus on 100 per cent practical learning. All lecturers are active industry professionals collaborating with top global brands like Hermès, Apple, NASA, IKEA, and Google. They bring cutting-edge insights directly into the classroom, so students learn exactly what today’s creative industries demand. Graduates finish with portfolios built around real-world projects — not hypothetical exercises — giving them a competitive edge in the job market.

For a generation of designers, illustrators, photographers and animators navigating a fast-changing creative landscape, LABASAD’s new AI master’s offers a vital message: the tools might be new, but the core questions haven’t changed. What makes your voice unique? What do you want to say, and how can technology help you say it better?

As the creative industries continue to shift, the skills that matter most won’t be just technical fluency, but the ability to think originally, ethically, and strategically. As Isabel puts it: “Creativity won’t be replaced. But it will evolve and we want to help shape what that looks like.”