Perkins AI Project 2025
Exploring AI in Industry:
A 2025 Perkins Grant Funded Workshop Series
For FIT part-time faculty currently teaching in the AAS programs
About this Perkins Grant Project
This Perkins Grant project will explore AI use in image/design generation and manipulation, marketing, and retail and demonstrate how AI technology is shaping these areas. The CET has invited industry experts to provide training workshops that showcase AI in the workplace and provide faculty with information about the AI skills most valuable for students entering the workforce.
This program is designed for FIT part-time faculty currently teaching in the schools’ AAS programs. Participants who successfully complete one of the courses will receive a stipend covering three one-hour sessions and a fourth hour to produce an assignment or classroom activity that specifically engages students in the topics covered during the training series (up to $200 per workshop series). Materials produced as a part of this training series will be shared on the CET’s AI Explorer website.
AI workshops available:
- Generative AI in Retail
- Generative AI in Marketing
- Creative Futures: Harnessing Generative AI in Art and Design Education
All workshops will be virtual.
Workshops on AI in Retail and Marketing (3 one-hour sessions)
Meet Your Instructor: Brian Delp
Brian Delp is President of Himatsingka America, one of the largest vertically integrated home textiles manufacturers. There, he manages the global license portfolio and business for the Americas. This
portfolio includes private and licensed brands, such as Tommy Hilfiger, across all retail channels in bedding and bath product categories.
Brian currently serves as Vice President of the Board of the Home Fashions Product Associations Board (HFPA), a leading association for companies involved in the home fashion products industry. He also is an adjunct instructor at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), where he teaches courses in the Fashion Business Management and Home Products departments. Brian is a frequent speaker, author, and advisor on topics in the fashion industry. He regularly contributes to the trade publications Retail Wire and The Robin Report.
Generative AI in Retail Workshop
This workshop series focuses on the transformative potential of generative AI within the retail industry. Faculty will explore how generative AI enhances customer experiences, optimizes inventory, and creates personalized product recommendations, all while streamlining operations and driving business growth.
Sessions will cover foundational knowledge of generative AI, practical applications for inventory management and supply chain efficiency, and techniques for using AI to design engaging customer centered retail experiences. Faculty will also gain insights into using generative AI tools to predict demand, analyze sales patterns, and implement AI-driven customer service features like chatbots and virtual assistants. Each workshop will include hands-on activities, examples from leading retail companies, and discussions on the skills students need to leverage generative AI effectively in retail careers.
Dates:
Thursday, February 6th, 6:30pm
Thursday, February 13th, 6:30pm
Thursday, February 20th, 6:30pm
Generative AI in Marketing Workshop
This workshop series delves into the role of generative AI in modern marketing, emphasizing how AI-driven tools can revolutionize content creation, enhance customer engagement, and enable highly personalized marketing strategies. Faculty will learn about generative AI’s applications in automating marketing tasks, generating data-informed insights for targeted advertising, and creating customized, dynamic content for diverse audiences.
Topics include the basics of AI for content generation, AI-powered customer journey mapping, and the use of predictive analytics to tailor campaigns to specific audiences. With practical demos and assignments, the series aims to equip faculty with tools to teach students critical skills in AI-driven personalization, content automation, and data analytics—skills essential for marketing roles in an AI-driven landscape.
Dates:
Tuesday, February 25th, 6:30pm
Tuesday, March 4th, 6:30pm
Tuesday, March 11th, 6:30pm
Creative Futures: Harnessing Generative AI in Art and Design Education (3 one-hour sessions)
Meet Your Instructor: Michael Posso
Michael Posso is a creative technologist and educator with extensive experience in creating accessible, high-performance digital experiences for Fortune 500 companies. Specializing in UI development, virtual reality, and 3D design, he teaches courses on web development and AI-driven creativity, focusing on the intersection
of technology and design to drive innovation.
Michael is also an AI practitioner with over 15 years of experience leveraging emerging technologies to create impactful user experiences. His expertise spans UX/UI, front-end development, ReactJS, and localization. As an educator, he develops and teaches courses on web development, UX design, and AI-powered creative workflows, emphasizing how technology can enhance creativity and innovation in digital design.
Course Overview
The Faculty Workshop Series on Generative AI in Art and Design offers a comprehensive exploration of how emerging technologies reshape creative industries. This three-part series provides faculty at the Fashion Institute of Technology with a deeper understanding of the transformative role of generative AI, including tools like Adobe Firefly, and its implications for design workflows, creative collaboration, and education.
Through discussions on ethical considerations such as copyright, originality, and bias, participants will engage with the complexities of integrating AI into their fields. The series also includes practical demonstrations of generative AI tools, encouraging hands-on exploration of how AI can enhance, rather than replace, human creativity. By examining the evolving dynamics of creative roles and preparing for the future of AI-driven careers, the workshops aim to equip educators with the knowledge and skills needed to guide their students in navigating this rapidly changing landscape.
Round 1 Dates:
Tuesday, February 4th, 7:00pm
Tuesday, February 11th, 7:00pm
Tuesday, February 25th, 7:00pm
Round 2 Dates:
Wednesday, March 5th, 7:00pm
Wednesday, March 12th, 7:00pm
Wednesday, March 19th, 7:00pm