Newhouse AI Creative Summit: Where students treated AI like a teammate
Milton Santiago moderates the AI in Creative Practice panel during the inaugural Newhouse AI Creative Summit. (Photo by Md. Zobayer Hossain Joati)
More than 60 students, faculty and staff from across Syracuse University spent two focused days testing AI tools, building content on deadlines and learning directly from seasoned pros. The program mixed workshops with a sprint-style competition that pushed teams to plan, iterate and ship-fast. It began Nov. 14 and felt like a live studio: high output, useful feedback, and zero time to overthink.
"These students are going to enter the workforce with a huge advantage because they're learning to use AI as a creative partner, not a replacement for their ideas," said Ken Collins, director of research and development at YPC Media, who led a session on AI video and served as mentor and judge. "The work I saw during the competition showed real strategic thinking about when and how to use these tools effectively."
Learning from industry leaders
Day 1 delivered practical sessions on AI-driven image, video and audio. Students learned from Hailey Tredo, head of AI at American High; Drew Muckell '15, executive producer at INVNT; and representatives from Adobe who demonstrated Firefly Video and new features in Premiere.
A lunchtime panel, "AI in Creative Practice," dug into how working creatives integrate these tools while staying responsible with copyright, authorship and authenticity.
"AI isn't coming to the communications industry-it's already here. Our job is to make sure Newhouse students aren't just keeping up with these changes but leading them," said Adam Peruta, associate professor and director of the advanced media management master's program, who organized the summit with Santiago. "This summit gave them a chance to experiment, fail fast and build confidence with tools they'll be expected to master on day one of their careers."
Dean Lyon, visual effects supervisor at Five Peaks Animation, offers feedback on a student project during the summit. (Photo by Alicia Hoppes)
Competition that forces clear decisions
On Day 2, ten teams had just over five hours to concept, produce and deliver original content for a themed brief. Visiting professionals and faculty coached throughout, asking the right questions and stress-testing decisions.
Maya Rizzo '27, an advertising major, said the sprint changed how her team approached problem-solving: short loops, quick calls, ship the next version. She left with a clearer sense of where AI speeds up the process without overruling the story.
Entries spanned cinematic live-action pieces and fully animated work-proof that the same tools can support very different creative approaches.
Winners
- First Place: "IKEA Conspiracy Theory" - Max Chizmadia '29 (Bandier Program for Recording and Entertainment Industries), Jesse Mair '29 (Bandier), Theo Stewart (Advanced Military Visual Journalism Program)
- Second Place: "Lost Epoch" - Yvonn ea Achancho '27 (finance), Connor Blake (AVMJ)
- Third Place: "Cowboy Cardio" - Alex Cai '26 (art photography), Dean Lourenco '26 (visual communications, graphic design)
What the pros noticed
"What blew me away was watching students take concepts they learned only a day earlier in the workshops and apply them under real pressure with tools that didn't even exist a year ago," Santiago said. He and Peruta plan to run the summit annually as creative tech continues to move.
"Students weren't just pushing buttons. They were making creative decisions, collaborating and problem-solving," Santiago added. "Employers are looking for that exact kind of adaptability in the workplace today."
Practical takeaways for creatives
- Decide tool roles upfront: ideation, reference, previz, rough cut or polish. Reduce tool-switching mid-project.
- Use time-boxed sprints. Aim for an ugly first draft in 45 minutes, then iterate with constraint.
- Create a prompt library for repeatable beats (formats, tone, brand rules, motion cues). Version-control it like any asset.
- Build an ethics checklist: source rights, model bias checks, consent, and disclosure. Treat it like QA.
- Learn the features you'll touch weekly-don't chase every new model. For video, explore Adobe Firefly's latest capabilities in Premiere and After Effects workflows.
Explore Adobe Firefly for generative tools used by working editors and designers. Want structured learning by job function? Browse focused programs here: AI courses by job.
Who made it possible
The summit was supported by Adobe, American High and the Newhouse Office of Community, Culture and Engagement. Learn more about AI and emerging technologies at the Newhouse School.
Milton Santiago and Adam Peruta provide opening remarks for the Newhouse AI Creative Summit. (Photo by Md. Zobayer Hossain Joati)
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