Chatbots for Art’s Sake

NYU IMA, Spring 2026 // Instructor: Carrie Sijia Wang

QUICK LINKS:

All Code Examples

Creative Assignments Folder

Research Assignments Folder

Inspirations Share

Week 1: 01/20 & 01/22

Week 2: 01/27 & 01/29

Week 3: 02/03 & 02/05

Week 4: 02/10 & 02/12

Week 5: 02/19

Week 6: 02/24 & 02/26

Week 7: 03/03 & 03/05

Week 8: 03/10 & 3/12

Week 9: 03/24 & 03/26

Week 10: 03/31 & 04/02

Week 11: 04/07 & 04/09

Week 12: 04/14 & 04/16

Week 13: 04/21 & 04/23

Week 14: 04/28 & 04/30

Week 15: 05/05

About

CLASS INFORMATION

Time: Tuesdays & Thursdays 2:00 – 3:30 pm

Location: 370 Jay St., 409

Instructor: Carrie Wang / sw3923@nyu.edu / Office Hours Signup

GA: Chloe Yan / Office Hours

Support:

Coding Lab

Design Lab

Documentation Lab

ITP Residents Office Hours
Scroll down to “Find a resident.”

DESCRIPTION

This course is designed to repurpose existing chatbot technologies and use them for the sake of art. Comprising technical labs, design workshops, thematic seminars, and creative project development, it offers an exploration of the historical, present, and future dimensions of conversational AI; and the various roles AI has played and could play in human society. Students will delve into the design elements of conversational AI, and learn to use different techniques— such as RiveScript, p5.speech, APIs, Markov Chains, and Language Models—to create functional and artistic chatbots. The course expects students to conduct research and complete creative assignments, encouraging them to express their unique artistic visions.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the completion of this course, the students will:

  1. Creatively adopt chatbot technologies to complete artistic projects.
  2. Have a better understanding of the process of project development from ideation to completion.
  3. Develop a set of skills to build functional chatbots.
  4. Learn to think critically about how technology is shaping the world we live in.

TEACHING METHODOLOGY

This is a 14-week course that meets twice a week. Class time is divided into topic-based lectures and discussions, design and content development workshops, technical labs and experiments, creative project development and presentations.

This course values critical thinking about technology and society as much as learning programming skills.

CREATIVE PROJECTS

  • All creative projects are built in modules and include deliverables such as work-in-progress blog posts and in-class presentations.
  • Students are required to complete functional projects following specific requirements, document their processes, and present in class.

INDEPENDENT RESEARCH ASSIGNMENTS

  • Throughout the semester, every student will be assigned a selection of materials as a basis for further research.
  • Students are required to conduct research, come up with their own unique interpretation of the assigned materials, and present their reflections in class.

EVALUATION

Grades will be determined according to this criteria:

  • Participation & Attendance: 35%
  • Individual Research Presentation 10%
  • Creative Assignments (Blog Posts & Presentations) 55%

To do well in this class, you should make efforts to learn and explore the lecture/research topics, design concepts, and technical tools. You are expected to complete all the assignments on time, have things to show for the in class presentations, and actively participate in discussions.

ASSIGNMENTS 

Homework assignments must be documented (written description, photos, screenshots, screen recording, code, and video all qualify based on the assignment). Each assignment has a due date as stated.

Each assignment will be marked as complete (full credit), partially complete (half credit), or incomplete (no credit). To be complete, an assignment should meet the criteria specified in the syllabus including documentation. If significant portions are simply not attempted it may be marked partially complete.  If an attempt isn’t made to meet the criteria specified it will be marked incomplete.

COMMUNICATION

You must check your email for important updates about class.

PARTICIPATION

ITP/IMA is committed to facilitating the fullest possible participation of all students. There are many forms of participation. Please communicate what kinds of engagement are best for you so it can be taken into account.

Examples of modes of participation can look like: asking questions, going to office hours, sending and reading emails, class group discussion, arriving on time, going to class, taking notes, listening to peers, submitting responses to a form (anonymous or not), following instructions, active listening, etc.

Attendance

Attendance is mandatory. Please email your instructor if you are going to miss a class. After the first two weeks of the add/drop period, effective in week three onward, students are permitted the following number of absences: 3 absences.

Any more than 3 absences after add/drop will affect your grade. Two late arrivals (more than 10 minutes after start time) will count as 1 absence. 

For example:

4 absences will result in your highest possible grade being a B instead of an A

5 absences will result in your highest possible grade being a C instead of an A

6 absences will result in your highest possible grade being a D instead of an A

7 absences will result in an automatic F for the course

STATEMENT OF ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

Plagiarism is presenting someone else’s work as though it were your own. More specifically, plagiarism is to present as your own: A sequence of words quoted without quotation marks from another writer or a paraphrased passage from another writer’s work or facts, ideas or images composed by someone else.

Collaboration is highly valued and often necessary to produce great work. Students build their own work on that of other people and giving credit to the creator of the work you are incorporating into your own work is an act of integrity. Plagiarism, on the other hand, is a form of fraud. Proper acknowledgment and correct citation constitute the difference. 

Link to the Tisch Student Handbook 

Link to Suggested Practices for Syllabus Accessibility Statements 

STATEMENT ON ACCESSIBILITY

It’s crucial for our community to create and uphold learning environments that empower students of all abilities. We are committed to create an environment that enables open dialogue about the various temporary and long term needs of students and participants for their academic success. We encourage all students and participants to discuss with faculty and staff possible accommodations that would best support their learning.  Students may also contact the Moses Center for Student Accessibility (212-998-4980) for resources and support. Link to the Moses Center for Student Accessibility 

STATEMENT ON COUNSELING AND WELLNESS

Your health and safety are a priority at NYU. Emphasizing the importance of the wellness of each individual within our community, students are encouraged to utilize the resources and support services available to them 24 hours a day, 7 days a week via the NYU Wellness Exchange Hotline at 212-443-9999. Additional support is available over email at wellness.exchange@nyu.edu and within the NYU Wellness Exchange app. Link to the NYU Counseling and Wellness Center

STATEMENT ON USE OF ELECTRONIC DEVICES

Laptops and other electronic devices are essential tools for learning and interaction in classrooms. However, they can create distractions that hinder students’ ability to actively participate and engage. Please be mindful of the ways in which these devices can affect the learning environment, please refrain from doing non-class oriented activities during class.

STATEMENT ON TITLE IX

Tisch School of the Arts is dedicated to providing its students with a learning environment that is rigorous, respectful, supportive and nurturing so that they can engage in the free exchange of ideas and commit themselves fully to the study of their discipline. To that end, Tisch is committed to enforcing University policies prohibiting all forms of sexual misconduct as well as discrimination on the basis of sex and gender. Detailed information regarding these policies and the resources that are available to students through the Title IX office can be found by using the following link: Link to the NYU Title IX Office 

STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLE

Teachers and students work together to create a supportive learning environment. The educational experience in the classroom is one that is enhanced by integrating varying perspectives and learning modes brought by students. 

CODE OF CONDUCT

Our signature is collaboration – Not competition.
– Red Burns

We live in a fractured world where communities are burdened by differences – so what we ask of you is nothing short of miraculous.
— Red Burns

ITP/IMA is a community whose mission is to explore the imaginative uses of emerging technologies — to make people’s lives safer, more just, more beautiful, more meaningful, and more fun. We pledge to act and interact in ways that contribute to an open, welcoming, diverse, inclusive, and healthy community.

The scope of this Code of Conduct applies to all ITP/IMA community members (faculty, staff, students, residents, fellows, and guests), ITP/IMA physical and digital spaces (e.g. Email listservs, Yorb, and ITP/IMA Discord server), and all courses, events, and projects created at or in service to ITP/IMA.

SOLIDARITY

We are a community of and in solidarity with, people from every gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, language, neuro-type, all visible or invisible disability, body size, ability, class, religion, culture, subculture, age, skill level, occupation and background. As a result, we continually work to make participation in our community a harassment-free experience for identities above as well as all levels of experience, education and socio-economic status.

INTERNATIONAL

Our student body typically has a large International student presence. We understand that, by the nature of being established in New York, our curriculum and social environment naturally centers events and histories specific to the United States of America. We know that a large percentage of our student body are international and we will continue to incorporate, celebrate and acknowledge events and histories from those countries with respect and an open mind.

We align ourselves with any values in pursuit of equity and freedom for all identities and, by that nature, are in alignment with similar views in International countries as well.

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We acknowledge that we are gathered on the unceded land of the Lenape and Canarsie peoples. We acknowledge the Lenape and Canarsie communities, their elders both past and present, as well as future generations.

We also acknowledge that NYU, Tisch School of the Arts, and ITP were founded upon exclusions and erasures of many Indigenous peoples, including those on whose land this institution is located. This acknowledgement demonstrates a commitment to beginning the process of working to dismantle the ongoing legacies of settler colonialism.

PRIVILEGE

We recognize that simply being part of the ITP/IMA community places us in a privileged position as we have the opportunity to receive an education from a private, expensive and prestigious university. We know that there are many equally talented students around the world who would like to partake of this community and, due to academic inaccessibility, it is not possible. We know and will continue to acknowledge that our privilege does not mean that we have more value than other people. We acknowledge this inequality and hold personal responsibility to share what we do in the spirit of inclusivity and create access where we can, as often as we can. We will use this privilege as a tool to help those most in need.

TECHNOLOGY

We pledge to center creative and ethical uses of technology in our research, teaching, and making. We accept the claim that technology is a reflection of society, its histories, and its politics. We reject the claim that technology is neutral and acknowledge that every technology has the potential to do as much harm as good. We acknowledge that when technologies cause harm, the harm disproportionately affects Black, Brown, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), queer, trans, disabled, femme, low-income, survivors, and all other marginalized bodies and communities worldwide.

Schedule

Week 1: Intro + History + Ethics

Session 1: Class Overview // Tuesday 01/20

SLIDESHOW

In Class:

  • Introductions
  • Chatbots + Art?
  • Class Overview + Schedule
Session 2: History and Ethics // Thursday 01/22

SLIDESHOW

In Class:

  • A Brief History
  • Ethical AI
  • Activity: Your Own Ethical Rules
  • Ethical Guidelines in Reality

Homework

Week 2: Present + Future

Session 1: The Landscape of Text-Based AI // Tuesday 01/27

SLIDESHOW

In Class:

  • Creative Assignment #1
  • Different Kinds of Chatbots
  • Large Language Models and Generative AI
  • Activity: A Chatbot Version of You
Session 2: Versions of the Future + Conversation Writing // Thursday 01/29

SLIDESHOW

In Class:

  • History of the Future
  • How to Predict the Future
  • Recent Trends
  • Activity: A Conversation in the Future

Homework

Week 3: RiveScript I + Voice I

Session 1: RiveScript I // Tuesday 02/03

SLIDESHOW

In Class:

  • Independent Research Presentation
  • Introducing RiveScript
  • Turn Your Future Dialogue into a RiveScript Bot
Session 2: Voice Design History + Methods // Thursday 02/05

SLIDESHOW

In Class:

  • Independent Research
  • Characteristics of the Human Voice
  • A Brief History of Voice Synthesis
  • Relevant Creative Projects
  • A Little About Speech Recognition

Homework

Week 4: Voice II

Session 1: Voice Design Tools // Tuesday 02/10

SLIDESHOW

In Class:

  • Independent Research
  • p5.speech Basics
  • Combine p5.Speech with RiveScript Chatbot
  • Other Voice Design Tools
Session 2: Studio // Thursday 02/12

In Class:

  • Studio and Open Office Hours

Homework

Week 5: Creative Assignment #1 Presentations

Session 1: Creative Assignment #1 Presentations // Thursday 02/19

Homework

Week 6: Narratives + LLMs

Session 1: Narrative Design for Chatbots // Tuesday 02/24

SLIDESHOW

In Class:

  • Independent Research
  • Creative Assignment #2
  • Interactive Narrative Design
  • Chatbot as a Medium for Interactive Narratives
  • Stories We Tell About AI
Session 2: Working with Large Language Models // Thursday 02/26

SLIDESHOW

In Class:

  • Working with LLMs
  • Experimenting with OpenAI API
  • If You Want to Host the Bot Online

Homework

Week 7: RiveScript II + Experience Design

Session 1: RiveScript II // Tuesday 03/03

SLIDESHOW

In Class:

  • Independent Research
  • A Narrative Experience with RiveScript
  • Possibilities to Combine RiveScript + LLM
Session 2: Experience Design // Thursday 03/05

SLIDESHOW

In Class:

  • Independent Research
  • User Experience Design for Chatbots
  • Interface Design
    • Real-World AI Interfaces
    • Sci-Fi AI Interfaces
  • Work on Your Design

Homework

Week 8: Project Development + Studio

Session 1: Studio // Tuesday 03/10

In Class:

  • 1:1 meetings & open office hours
Session 2: Studio // Thursday 03/12

In Class:

  • 1:1 meetings & open office hours

Homework

DUE 3/24: Blog Post Submission 03: Project Documentation

DUE 3/24: Be prepared to present Project #2. Discuss your idea, explain the technical methods you used, and reflect on the biggest challenge you faced during the process.

Week 9: Creative Assignment #2 Presentations

Session 1: Creative Assignment #2 Presentations // Tuesday 03/24
Session 2: Creative Assignment #2 Presentations // Thursday 03/26

Homework

Week 10: Data

Session 1: A Little Bit of Everything // Tuesday 03/31

SLIDESHOW

In Class:

  • Fundamental Principles of Interaction
  • AI-Assisted Programming Workflows
  • Data in AI
Session 2: An Experiment with Data // Thursday 04/02

SLIDESHOW

In Class:

  • Independent Research
  • An Experiment with Data

Homework

  • Due 4/7: Independent Research 08
  • Start thinking about Project #3 – an open-ended project incorporating chatbot as part of the experience (to be officially assigned on 4/7)

Week 11: Project Ideation + Inspirations

Session 1: Project Ideation // Tuesday 04/07

SLIDESHOW

In Class:

  • Independent Research
  • Assign Project #3
  • Ideation
Session 2: Share Ideas and Inspirations // Thursday 04/09

In Class:

  • Share Project Ideas and Inspirations

Homework

  • Due 04/14: Blogpost 01:
    • Description of Idea
    • Experience Design
    • Interface / Visuals Design
    • Preliminary Technical Prototype

Week 12: Project Development + Studio

Session 1: Studio // Tuesday 04/14

In Class:

  • 1:1 meetings & open office hours
Session 2: Studio // Thursday 04/16

In Class:

  • 1:1 meetings & open office hours

Homework

  • Due 04/21: Blog Post 02:
    • Describe Your Progress
    • Document Your 70% Prototype
    • Your Plan for Usertesting

Week 13: Usertestings

Session 1: Usertesting Part 01 // Tuesday 04/21
Session 2: Usertesting Part 02 // Thursday 04/23

Homework

  • Due 04/28: Blog Post 03:
    • Documentation of Your Project
    • Link to Code
    • Reflect on the Process

  • Due 04/28: Prepare for your presentation:
    • Clearly and briefly explain your project idea.
    • Describe the technical structure of your project.
    • Share the biggest challenge you encountered and how you addressed it.
    • Demo: If your project is interactive, we’ll invite a classmate to test the experience.
    • Slideshow: Optional, but encouraged.

Week 14: Creative Assignment #3 Presentations

Session 1: Presentations Part 01 // Tuesday 04/28
Session 2: Presentations Part 02 // Thursday 04/30

Week 15: Flexible Class

Session 1: Flexible Class // Tuesday 05/05