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The revolutionary impact of artificial intelligence on lighting education takes centre stage in this thought-provoking conversation with Phil and Daniel from BHA School of Lighting. As pioneers in online lighting education since 2017, they offer unique insights into how AI is transforming both learning methodologies and the lighting profession itself.

When students began submitting suspiciously polished assignments with distinctive AI fingerprints, the educators faced a critical question: Is AI a valuable learning tool or a shortcut that undermines genuine education? The answer proves far more nuanced than expected. While some universities have embraced unrestricted AI use, BHA takes a more measured approach, implementing a 15% grade penalty for AI-generated work that lacks proper integration with course materials. Surprisingly, not a single student has contested these penalties.

The conversation reveals concerning research from MIT Media Lab showing students using AI for academic tasks demonstrate up to 55% less brain activity in areas related to creativity, memory, and semantic processing. As Daniel aptly puts it, "AI is not going to remember for you." This raises profound questions about skill development in an AI-assisted world. How will the next generation of lighting designers develop the intuition that comes from years of hands-on experience?

For lighting professionals, the implications extend beyond education. While AI excels at generating impressive concept renders and streamlining documentation, it falls short in understanding the emotional and practical nuances of lighting. The educators share fascinating examples of using Midjourney to animate Relux lighting designs, while emphasising that AI cannot replicate the human sensitivity needed to create truly exceptional lighting experiences.

Whether you're a lighting professional curious about integrating AI into your workflow or an educator navigating this technological revolution, this episode offers valuable perspective on finding balance. As Phil concludes, we must embrace AI as a companion rather than a replacement – understanding its capabilities and limitations while preserving the human expertise that makes lighting design both an art and a science.

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The fear that AI will replace skilled professionals is misplaced – at least in lighting design. "I don't want AI to do lighting design for me," explains Juan Ferrari, Lighting Design Director at Hoare Lea, UK, "I want AI to actually make my lighting design better."

This enlightening conversation explores how creative professionals are harnessing artificial intelligence as a powerful assistant rather than viewing it as a threat. Juan, whose fascinating journey from actor to architectural lighting designer gives him unique perspective on narrative and emotion in spaces, shares practical ways his 25-person team uses AI daily to enhance their work.

From streamlining mundane tasks like email writing to creating custom GPTs for technical processes, Juan demonstrates how embracing these tools allows designers to focus on what truly matters – the creative play with light that no algorithm can replicate. He walks us through challenges like maintaining data integrity when training models, ethical considerations around copyright, and the necessity of transparency with clients about AI usage.

Perhaps most compelling is Juan's vision for the future: AI handling computational tasks to free designers from computer screens so they can physically experiment with light. "We are lighting designers. We spend quite a bit of time behind a computer doing things to enable the play, and the play seems to be a really small portion of our job," he notes. "I wish that AI enables us to do much more of that."

Whether you're a lighting professional curious about incorporating AI into your workflow or simply interested in how creative fields are adapting to technological change, this conversation offers valuable insights into maintaining human expertise while embracing powerful new tools. How might AI enhance your creative process rather than replace it?

More from the Light Talk Desk

Watch my vlogs, industry dialogues and project tours.

Listen to enriching stories, deep insights, and expert opinions in my podcast.

Learn directly from a master, absorbing the knowledge, techniques and the artistry of lighting design through my masterclass.

Sign Up to the AI Fundamentals course for Lighting Designers.

Download and delve into my works 'Light Talk, a Year in the Life of Light' and 'Light Talk 2, 16 Years in the Life of Light' - follow the journey of lighting design through his books.

Check out lighttalk.space

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When Daan Roosegaarde speaks of light, he's not talking about lumens or lux—he's describing a language that shapes human experience. "I see light as a language," he explains. "What do people remember when they wake up the next morning? That's what I want to design." This conversation reveals the mind of one of today's most innovative creators, whose work defies categorisation across art, architecture, technology, and environmental activism.

Daan's journey from fine arts student to founder of Studio Roosegaarde illustrates the power of hybrid thinking in solving complex problems. His Rotterdam-based studio creates experiences that challenge our relationship with technology and nature—from electricity-generating dance floors to the world's largest outdoor air purifier. But it's his work with bioluminescence that truly captures the imagination.

The discussion delves into his current passion: breeding fireflies that communicate through synchronised light patterns as part of their mating ritual. With these insects disappearing due to light pollution and pesticides, his team has established the world's first breeding program. Similarly, his work with glowing flowers allows humans to see what butterflies naturally perceive through ultraviolet light. These projects represent what he calls "super nature"—learning from natural phenomena to create new forms of human experience.

Perhaps most striking is Roosegaarde's "Seeing Stars" project, where he convinced entire cities to turn off every light for one night. "I think it's unacceptable that we live in a world where we talk about AI and self-driving cars and blockchain, but we don't see the stars anymore," he argues. "That's not a smart city. You see the stars in a smart city."

The conversation explores AI's role in design, with Daan embracing it as a creative tool while emphasising that our uniquely human qualities—emotional intelligence, creativity, and comfort with failure—become more valuable as technology advances. "We just got to be better humans. That's the best solution," he concludes.

Whether discussing his glowing Van Gogh bicycle path, developing biodegradable fireworks, or his philosophy on sharing ideas freely, Daan demonstrates why innovation requires us to change perspective. As he puts it, "When you change your perspective, everything changes." What would you create if you saw the world differently?

More from the Light Talk Desk

Watch my vlogs, industry dialogues and project tours.

Listen to enriching stories, deep insights, and expert opinions in my podcast.

Learn directly from a master, absorbing the knowledge, techniques and the artistry of lighting design through my masterclass.

Sign Up to the AI Fundamentals course for Lighting Designers.

Download and delve into my works 'Light Talk, a Year in the Life of Light' and 'Light Talk 2, 16 Years in the Life of Light' - follow the journey of lighting design through his books.

Check out lighttalk.space