Against the backdrop of continuous innovation in artificial intelligence technology, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is set to launch a unique comparative literature course in the winter of 2025. What makes this course special is that all its teaching materials, assignments, and educational resources will be generated by the AI platform Kudu.
This course, which covers literature from the medieval period to the 17th century, will utilize all teaching resources provided by the Kudu platform, founded by Professor Alexander Kusenko from the Department of Physics and Astronomy. This will mark the first time UCLA's humanities department uses a complete set of AI-generated course materials.
Image Source Note: The image is generated by AI, with image licensing provided by Midjourney
The course development process is quite meticulous. Professor Zrinka Stahuljak provided original teaching materials, including class notes, PPT presentations, and YouTube videos. Based on this, the Kudu platform generates the complete set of course materials, a process that typically takes three to four months. Notably, the professor's time investment is limited to under 20 hours, and the platform provides compensation for this.
Stahuljak emphasized the potential advantages of this approach. With AI-assisted preparation, teachers and teaching assistants can focus more on direct interaction with students. Furthermore, the materials generated by Kudu will be strictly based on the original resources provided by the professor, rather than random information from the internet, ensuring academic rigor.
Students will also have a unique learning experience: they can directly ask the Kudu platform questions related to the course and receive precise answers based on course-specific materials.
This initiative reflects a meaningful integration of higher education with artificial intelligence technology. It is not simply about replacing teachers with AI, but rather about using technology to enhance teaching efficiency and quality. For UCLA, this undoubtedly represents a forward-thinking educational innovation practice.
The launch of the course has sparked widespread discussion about the application of AI in the field of education. It demonstrates how technology can serve as a powerful tool for educational reform while maintaining academic rigor and a humanistic approach.
