UNSW plans to run the subject DART2252 - Generative AI for Artists next trimester in which students are required to 'integrate generative AI and related media technologies' into their projects. This is despite the numerous negative impacts associated with generative AI, including:

• Plagiarism. Generative AI is trained on the works of other creators, the vast majority of which have not consented, undermining their rights to their intellectual property. Particularly among Fine Arts and Media Arts students, the promotion of AI-generated images feels tone-deaf, offensive and dismissive. 
• Electricity & water use. To power server rooms and keep them cool, generative AI consumes an enormous amount of electricity and water, leaving residents near data centres heavily under-resourced.
• Climate impact. Given generative AI's disproportionate use of electricity and water, experts have voiced immense concern about its sustainability. Given UNSW's commitment towards reducing emissions, the climate impact of generative AI should be a priority to address.
• Misuse of AI. Generative AI has been widely used to create misinformation, propaganda and non-consensual pornography, as well as to commit academic misconduct. The promotion and use of generative AI is deeply offensive to the victims of these acts, even when the same tool is used for different purposes, as the developers of these tools do not have sufficient safeguards to prevent misuse.

This petition calls on UNSW to:

1. Immediately cease DART2252 - Generative AI for Artists;
2. Commit to not creating a course in future which teaches or requires the creation of generative AI images;
3. Require all staff to disclose when generative AI has been used in their course content at UNSW;
4. Not require the use of generative AI in any UNSW course; and,
5. Outline the ethical, environmental and humanitarian disadvantages of generative AI when generative AI is mentioned in course content.

These modest requests would help uphold UNSW's ethical commitments and support their rich community of creatives. If action is taken before next trimester, we can potentially mitigate further harm to creatives from generative AI images.