289216

Emerging Creative Technology Production

This course expands on foundational creative tech knowledge and guides students into the immersive intersection of artificial intelligence and cross-reality (XR) environments. From intelligent virtual performers to generative architectural assistants, students will learn to design, train, and deploy agents tailored to specific datasets and creative intents.
Course code

Qualifications are made up of courses. Some universities call these papers. Each course is numbered using six digits.

289216
Level

The fourth number of the course code shows the level of the course. For example, in course 219206, the fourth number is a 2, so it is a 200-level course (usually studied in the second year of full-time study).

200-level
Credits

Each course is worth a number of credits. You combine courses (credits) to meet the total number of credits needed for your qualification.

15
Subject
Creative Media Production

Course planning information

Course notes

What if your creative project could think, react, and exist in a virtual world? In this hands-on course, you’ll explore how AI can be used to design immersive experiences across augmented, virtual, and mixed realities. You’ll learn how to train and tailor intelligent systems—from curating datasets and prompt-engineering to fine-tuning generative models—and bring them to life in spatial, interactive environments. Using widely adopted tools like Unity, Unreal Engine, Runway, and TouchDesigner, you’ll experiment with how AI can perform, guide, respond, or generate content in real time. Whether you’re imagining a sentient virtual creature, an interactive installation, or a reactive soundspace, this course is your chance to prototype something bold, strange, or beautifully unexpected. By the end of the course, you’ll create your own short AR, VR, or hybrid project—one that doesn't just exist in space, but responds to it.

Prerequisite courses

Complete first
One of: 289.116, 197.191, 198.124, 224.158, 159.101, 159.102, 159.223

You need to complete the above course or courses before moving onto this one.

General progression requirements

You must complete at least 45 credits from 100-level before enrolling in 200-level courses.

Learning outcomes

What you will learn. Knowledge, skills and attitudes you’ll be able to show as a result of successfully finishing this course.

  • 1 Design and implement interactive experiences that integrate emerging technology suing industry-standard tools. (Graduate profile: Understanding – Matauranga A2; Virtuosity – Mohio D1)
  • 2 Demonstrate confidence in training and customizing generative technology for creative and spatially responsive applications. (Graduate profile: Creativity – Toi B1, C1; Virtuosity – Mohio D3)
  • 3 Work productively to contribute and assist effectively in technical and aesthetic production processes. (Graduate profile: Virtuosity – Mohio D1; Connectedness – Whanaungatanga E2)
  • 4 Demonstrate the ability to respond at a forward-thinking level to briefs and deadlines independently. (Graduate profile: Connectedness – Whanaungatanga A3; Virtuosity – Mohio D1, D3; Autonomy – Mana E3)
  • 5 Critically evaluate own work and provide reflection on processes and decision-making in workgroups, production meetings, critiques and presentations. (Graduate profile: Understanding – Matauranga C2; Connectedness – Whanaungatanga E1)

Learning outcomes can change before the start of the semester you are studying the course in.

Assessments

Assessment Learning outcomes assessed Weighting
Portfolio 1 2 3 4 5 100%

Assessment weightings can change up to the start of the semester the course is delivered in.

You may need to take more assessments depending on where, how, and when you choose to take this course.

Explanation of assessment types

Explanation of assessment types
Computer programmes
Computer animation and screening, design, programming, models and other computer work.
Creative compositions
Animations, films, models, textiles, websites, and other compositions.
Exam College or GRS-based (not centrally scheduled)
An exam scheduled by a college or the Graduate Research School (GRS). The exam could be online, oral, field, practical skills, written exams or another format.
Exam (centrally scheduled)
An exam scheduled by Assessment Services (centrally) – you’ll usually be told when and where the exam is through the student portal.
Oral or performance or presentation
Debates, demonstrations, exhibitions, interviews, oral proposals, role play, speech and other performances or presentations.
Participation
You may be assessed on your participation in activities such as online fora, laboratories, debates, tutorials, exercises, seminars, and so on.
Portfolio
Creative, learning, online, narrative, photographic, written, and other portfolios.
Practical or placement
Field trips, field work, placements, seminars, workshops, voluntary work, and other activities.
Simulation
Technology-based or experience-based simulations.
Test
Laboratory, online, multi-choice, short answer, spoken, and other tests – arranged by the school.
Written assignment
Essays, group or individual projects, proposals, reports, reviews, writing exercises, and other written assignments.

Textbooks needed

There are no set texts for this course.