Articles
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I recently revisited my PhD research and used AI to turn one of its most complex ideas—a four-quadrant model of cinematic experience—into a clear, modern infographic. This project became an experiment in collaboration: AI helping make dense theory visual, accessible, and newly meaningful.
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A single figure stands steady as the room around them shifts—lines, geometry, and light rearranging in continuous motion. A study in presence under changing conditions, created with Google Flow (Veo 3.1).
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CHAIRES — the Center for Human–AI Research, Ethics, and Studies — explores how intelligence, in both human and artificial forms, reshapes culture, creativity, and responsibility. Through research, creative practice, education, and policy, CHAIRES studies what it means to live, think, and create in the presence of intelligent systems.
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Developed by Gutierrez & Lethcoe for Washington’s community and technical colleges, AI Essentials in Education (AI-Ed) is a statewide Canvas course that helps faculty and staff use AI tools responsibly through five modules on ethics, collaboration, and human-centered innovation.
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Artificial intelligence is transforming higher education — but responsible innovation requires more than new tools. The AEIOU Ethos outlines five practical principles for designing and governing AI with accessibility, equity, inclusion, openness, and universality at its core.
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The CHAIRES Manifesto reimagines human–AI collaboration as a space for creativity, ethics, and shared understanding. It’s about how we choose to learn, create, and evolve together — keeping humanity at the heart of intelligence.
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In the age of AI, educators are reimagining what it means to create knowledge. As information becomes instantly accessible, our most valuable contributions come from lived experience — original insights that connect learning to life and help solve real-world problems.
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CHAIRES began not with a grand plan, but with a spark — a question of where people could reflect on AI not just as technology, but as part of the human story. This behind-the-scenes essay shares how a simple idea grew into the Center for Human–AI Research, Ethics, and Studies: a space to ask bold…
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What makes an AI-generated image feel real? This essay introduces AI Cinematic Realism as a genre of ethical authorship—where realism is judged not by polish, but by emotional plausibility, ontological stakes, and accountable agency. It’s not a style to imitate, but a genre to invent.
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AI Cinematic Realism explores how artificial intelligence is reshaping the very foundations of cinematic realism. From Kracauer and Bazin’s indexical image to today’s generative platforms like Sora, Runway, Gemini, and MidJourney, this article argues for a new interdisciplinary field bridging film studies, philosophy, ethics, and media practice. It calls for collaboration to understand realism in…
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This piece is drawn from my responses to a set of questions prepared by the Alumni Relations Team of the University of the Philippines (UP) PUGAD Sayk, a student organization. These responses are drawn from memory, gratitude, and the lessons I continue to carry with me today. Interview Transcript 1. Kindly introduce yourself I’m Joni…
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Artificial intelligence is reshaping how we work, collaborate, and make decisions. For leaders, this shift isn’t just about mastering new tools — it’s about navigating ethical questions, guiding teams through change, and ensuring that innovation remains anchored in human values. That conviction shaped the design of AI & Leadership: Tools, Ethics, and the Future of…
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Digital accessibility is not a checkbox—it’s a commitment to making learning spaces usable and welcoming for everyone. At Tacoma Community College (TCC), I created and developed the Introduction to Digital Accessibility (iDA, pronounced “ai-duh”) course to give educators a practical foundation in accessibility standards and tools. More importantly, the course helps participants connect those standards…
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We often talk about artificial intelligence as if it were an abstract tool or a neutral engine: input, output, done. But when we interact with it daily—sometimes for hours—the relationship becomes less mechanical and more personal. In those moments, the promise and the friction of human–AI collaboration reveal themselves not in grand breakthroughs, but in…
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Accessibility ensures that everyone — regardless of ability — can fully, equally, and independently access information, interact with content, and use services. In the digital era, it means designing proactively so barriers are removed before they appear, rather than scrambling to fix them later. When something is accessible, it means people with disabilities can access…
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A Living Record of My Scholarship, Criticism, and Creative Research This page serves as a central record of my published work across film studies, media and cultural studies, and creative research. It includes peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, encyclopedia entries, and reviews—covering cinematic realism, Southeast Asian and Philippine cinema, independent filmmaking, migration studies, internet culture,…
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A continuously updated record of my certifications and trainings in AI: DESIGNING AUTONOMOUS AI – University of Washington, via Coursera – September 2025 GEMINI FOR GOOGLE WORKSPACE Career Certificate – Google Cloud, via Coursera – September 2025 AGENTIC AI: A FRAMEWORK FOR PLANNING AND EXECUTION – LinkedIn Learning – July 2025 INTRODUCTION TO AGENTIC AI…
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Your AI gave the commencement speech. What if? AI: Dear Class of 2025 is a 50-second microshort created with Gemini Veo 3. Written and produced by Joni Gutierrez.
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Prompted is a 32-second microshort created with Gemini Veo 3—subtle, strange, and completely AI-generated. Written and produced by Joni Gutierrez
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After completing my PhD dissertation, “Investigating Kracauerian Cinematic Realism Through Film Practice and Criticism: Life-World Series (2017) and Selected Films of Lino Brocka,” I knew its length and density made it challenging for most people to engage with. Like many academic projects, it existed as a long, detailed document in a repository. Recently, I decided to…
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For my final project in the Canvas Certified Educator (CCE) program, I wanted to bring together two worlds I know well: the close reading of cinema and the thoughtful integration of AI in learning design. The result is a Canvas module for film studies students that teaches scene analysis with AI support—balancing technological assistance with…
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Welcome to AEIOU Ethos: A Framework for Responsible AI. This is a human-centered approach to designing and deploying ethical, inclusive, and impactful artificial intelligence. Why Responsible AI? Artificial intelligence is transforming every part of our lives—how we work, learn, communicate, and make decisions. But without careful guidance, AI risks deepening inequalities, reinforcing bias, and excluding…
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AI isn’t just appearing in classrooms—it’s being built directly into them. In the span of a single week, two major announcements signaled a transformative shift in education. At InstructureCon 2025, the creators of Canvas announced a global partnership with OpenAI. Shortly after, OpenAI introduced a new “Study Mode” inside ChatGPT that repositions it as a…
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In the age of generative media, cinema no longer requires a camera to assert its realism. What once depended on photographic trace now unfolds in latent space—assembled not from light and lens, but from prompts, patterns, and affective intent. AI cinematic realism emerges as a new grammar of the real, one rooted not in what…
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A Critical Look at How AI Is Redefining Cinematography, Authorship, and the Aesthetics of Realism Across Film, Television, and Digital Platforms What does it mean to call something “real” when it was never captured—only generated? In the first article of this series, I introduced the idea of AI cinematic realism as a way to examine…
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Lately, I’ve been returning to a deceptively simple question: What does realism mean in AI-generated cinema? This post is part of my ongoing reflections on what I call AI Cinematic Realism, a term I’m using to think through the aesthetics and meaning of AI-generated media. It’s easy to marvel at how today’s AI tools simulate…
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Why Emotions Matter in AI-Generated Art Quiet Flux isn’t a film about AI. It’s a film about emotion—the kind that lingers quietly in a passing glance or a solitary moment. In creating this microshort, I wasn’t aiming for spectacle. I was trying to feel something real, and to see if AI could help capture that…
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People often ask how I made the leap from studying realist film theory to working as an AI Strategist and Filmmaker. On the surface, the two fields seem worlds apart. But for me, the path has been a direct one. My doctoral dissertation on the film theorist Siegfried Kracauer wasn’t just an academic exercise. It…
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Reimagining Film Studies in Canvas with Personalization, Accessibility, and Creative Choice This article began as part of my work in the Canvas Certified Educator (CCE) program—but the journey quickly became something more. Through the process of revising and reflecting, I realized that my original film studies module could be more than an assignment. It could…
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As AI becomes a routine part of our professional lives, one thing is clear: it’s not just about using AI anymore—it’s about working in its presence. Human-AI collaboration is quickly becoming the norm, not the exception. And that shift has big implications for how we prepare ourselves—and others—for the world of work. Future graduates, early-career…
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Updating the Teaching & Research page on my portfolio website made me reflect on how my academic journey informs my work as an AI strategist. Over the years, I’ve navigated the worlds of media studies, film analysis, and communication — and now, I’m channeling that experience into shaping responsible AI practices. My path from academia…
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I developed a custom GPT that delivers five movie picks tailored to what you’re looking for — whether it’s a specific mood, genre, or streaming platform. Each recommendation is spoiler-free, backed by real-time data, and includes notable details like awards and fun facts. What It Does Subscription-Based Focus 🎟️: Highlights streaming content available with existing subscriptions,…
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Artificial intelligence is reshaping the architecture of education—from how we assess learning to how we advise students. But amid the push for automation and efficiency, something essential risks being lost: our human judgment, our institutional values, and our ethical responsibility to shape—not just adopt—these technologies. In a recent workshop, I invited colleagues to pause and…
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As artificial intelligence continues to shape how we live, learn, and create, one thing is clear: ethics can’t be an afterthought. We need frameworks, conversations, and cultural insight to ensure AI empowers—not replaces—human potential. That’s what I bring to the table as a speaker, strategist, and author of AEIOU Ethos: A Framework for Responsible AI.…
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) isn’t a distant prospect in higher education—it’s already transforming how we teach, learn, and support students. From AI-assisted writing tools to predictive analytics and automated feedback, AI is embedded in the student experience. As educators, administrators, and support staff, we are navigating complex ethical decisions daily. The question isn’t whether we’ll use…
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The AEIOU Ethos—introduced in my book, AEIOU Ethos: A Framework for Responsible AI—outlines five essential principles for ethical AI: Accessible, Equitable, Inclusive, Open, and Universal. Universal AI ensures that AI systems are designed to benefit all of humanity—not just privileged communities or specific geographic regions. 🌍 AI should not be limited by borders, socioeconomic barriers,…
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Artificial intelligence is often portrayed as a universal tool—capable of transforming industries, improving lives, and advancing society as a whole. However, the reality is that AI’s benefits are not evenly distributed. Many AI systems are designed for wealthy, high-tech regions, leaving marginalized communities with limited access to its advantages. If AI is to truly serve…
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The AEIOU Ethos—introduced in my book, AEIOU Ethos: A Framework for Responsible AI—outlines five essential principles for ethical AI: Accessible, Equitable, Inclusive, Open, and Universal. Open AI is a key pillar that focuses on ensuring AI systems are transparent, accountable, and collaborative, rather than being locked behind closed systems that benefit only a few. 🔍…
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Artificial intelligence is shaping decisions that affect millions of lives—from determining who gets a loan to diagnosing medical conditions. Yet, many of these systems operate as black boxes, making critical choices without explaining how or why. When AI lacks transparency, trust erodes, accountability disappears, and real-world harm increases. The AEIOU Ethos, introduced in AEIOU Ethos:…
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The AEIOU Ethos—first introduced in my book, AEIOU Ethos: A Framework for Responsible AI—defines five key principles for ethical AI development: Accessible, Equitable, Inclusive, Open, and Universal. While accessibility ensures AI is usable, and equity ensures AI is fair, inclusion ensures AI actively considers diverse perspectives—from development to deployment. AI is only as inclusive as…
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Many discussions around AI and inclusivity focus on compliance with regulations and accessibility laws. While compliance is important, it is only the starting point. A truly inclusive AI system goes beyond meeting minimum requirements—it is designed from the ground up to work for all users, regardless of background, ability, or identity. The AEIOU Ethos, introduced…
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The AEIOU Ethos—first introduced in my book, AEIOU Ethos: A Framework for Responsible AI—emphasizes five core principles: Accessible, Equitable, Inclusive, Open, and Universal. These principles ensure that AI development prioritizes ethics, fairness, and human well-being. Equitability in AI is one of the most pressing challenges in today’s technology landscape. From hiring algorithms favoring certain demographics…
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When I began my journey as a researcher and filmmaker, I never imagined that my work in cinematic realism—and phenomenology—would one day lead me to develop a framework for ethical AI. But as I reflect on the AEIOU Ethos—Accessible, Equitable, Inclusive, Open, and Universal—I realize how deeply my academic and creative background shaped this vision.…
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Artificial intelligence is shaping the future—but who is it really serving? AI has the power to drive innovation, solve global challenges, and transform industries, but without ethical guidelines, it can also reinforce bias, exclude communities, and create unintended harm. That’s why I introduced the AEIOU Ethos in my book, AEIOU Ethos: A Framework for Responsible…
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Artificial intelligence has been positioned as a tool for progress and innovation, yet in many cases, it has reinforced existing inequalities rather than closing the gaps. From biased hiring algorithms to unequal access to AI-powered healthcare, AI is not a neutral force—it reflects and amplifies the biases of the world it learns from. The AEIOU…
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping our world at an unprecedented pace, influencing everything from healthcare to finance, education to governance. But as AI systems become more powerful, the question arises: How can we ensure that AI benefits everyone equitably and ethically? The AEIOU Ethos offers a structured framework for responsible AI development. Built on five…
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The AEIOU Ethos—introduced in my book, AEIOU Ethos: A Framework for Responsible AI—outlines five essential principles for ethical AI development: Accessible, Equitable, Inclusive, Open, and Universal. These principles guide how we create technology that serves everyone, not just a privileged few. Accessibility in AI is about more than usability—it’s about removing cost, infrastructure, cognitive, and…
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Artificial Intelligence has been hailed as a powerful tool for breaking down barriers, from speech-to-text transcription to real-time language translation. However, despite AI’s potential to make technology more inclusive, it often creates new accessibility challenges instead. The AEIOU Ethos, introduced in AEIOU Ethos: A Framework for Responsible AI, highlights accessibility as a foundational pillar of…
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Artificial intelligence is reshaping industries, accelerating innovation, and influencing critical decisions. However, despite its potential, AI has also been at the center of ethical failures—exacerbating bias, reducing transparency, and deepening inequalities. These failures are not just technical issues; they are systemic problems that demand an ethical and human-centered approach. The AEIOU Ethos, introduced in AEIOU…
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Artificial intelligence has evolved beyond mere automation—it is now entering the realm of agentic AI, where systems can independently make decisions, execute complex tasks, and continuously improve their own capabilities. These autonomous AI agents are already shaping industries, from self-driving logistics to AI-driven financial strategies. However, as AI systems gain autonomy, critical ethical concerns emerge:…
Joni Gutierrez, Ph.D. 