Jason Schupbach, president of the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan, spoke on June 27, 2026 about how the college is reworking its curriculum to equip students for creative careers as artificial intelligence becomes a fixture in design and the arts. His remarks come as educators nationwide contend with fast-moving changes in the tools available to creative workers.
FIT is not alone in this shift. Many art and design schools are now incorporating AI for Creatives into their coursework, ensuring that graduates understand how to use machine-generated design elements alongside their own craft. Schupbach described a balancing act: preserving the hands-on skills that define the field while giving students the technical literacy to work in an environment where AI handles more routine tasks.
The unresolved questions facing creative education
The interview highlighted that not all of the technology's effects are clear. Schupbach said schools must prepare students even as questions linger about how AI will alter hiring, intellectual property, and the value of human-made work. Employers are still defining what roles will exist five years from now, adding pressure on institutions to forecast without a reliable map.
Schupbach pointed to the need for adaptability. He suggested that curriculum design must leave room for skills that allow graduates to pivot as the technology matures. Without concrete answers about regulation or economic disruption, the school aims to build a foundation that keeps alumni relevant across multiple scenarios.
Why this matters for creatives
For working designers, artists, and other creative professionals, the changes at FIT signal that technical fluency with AI tools is no longer optional. Those who can pair a strong creative instinct with an understanding of how AI generates and manipulates content will likely find more job options in the years ahead. Waiting for clarity on the technology's direction is not a strategy that the market will reward.
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