Singapore – The use of artificial intelligence in promotional materials for open house events at some polytechnic universities has caused some discomfort among students, even as schools defend the practice.
Posters and banners displayed on campus feature images of students and graduates that have been improved using AI, and are placed in various backgrounds and backgrounds according to their majors and occupations.
These materials were published on campus, official websites and social media platforms ahead of the polytechnic’s open house event held from January 8th to 10th.
Some students said the AI visuals were unpleasant and did not accurately represent the school.
The issue came to public attention in January when users on social media platforms Reddit and TikTok criticized the use of generative AI (Gen AI) in school-related promotional materials by Temasek Polytechnic (TP), Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) and Republic Polytechnic (RP).
In response to inquiries from The Straits Times, the three polytechnics confirmed the use of Gen AI in their promotional materials. The tools were said to be used to support content creation.
A TP spokesperson said AI was used as a support tool for public materials, and the design process and execution was “human-driven”.
TP students participated in the photo shoot, and GenAI was only used for the styling process so that “the photographed TP student’s face and hand-drawn illustration remained front and center.”
AI was used in “thoughtful ways to enhance ideas and enhance the impact of storytelling,” a spokesperson said.
The school added: “This hybrid approach is part of a larger experiment in pushing the boundaries of approaches to teaching and learning, where technology supports, rather than replaces, human judgment and expression.”
A New York City spokesperson said the school used AI tools to generate design concepts and visual layout ideas for the school’s open house in 2024. Some of the posters will remain on campus for up to two years. For 2026, we’ve incorporated suggestions from students and staff and featured real student photos and projects.
A screenshot of a TikTok video posted by user @hxxgen of an allegedly AI-generated poster from Nanyang Technological University’s Faculty of Engineering.
Photo: HXXGEN/TIKTOK
An RP spokesperson said the public relations materials included AI-generated visuals created by staff and students. The open house featured a variety of visuals, projects, and initiatives powered by AI across campus.
Some students said they felt that using Gen AI in their school’s public relations materials was a missed opportunity to showcase and develop student talent.
A 19-year-old TP Communication Design student, who wanted to be known only as Charlene, said: “There are a lot of talented students who are very keen to support the school with this kind of advertising as it will be good for our portfolio.”
The second-year student said that while she was not completely opposed to the use of AI, it should be used in moderation, such as by generating backgrounds while centering human creativity.
Suhani Harb, 19, a second-year law and business administration student, feels that the school’s publicity materials reflect “real students and real campus culture,” rather than content that looks artificial.
The polytechnic said that across the board, AI is being integrated into classrooms and projects, as such tools are becoming increasingly common in the workplace. But schools insist guardrails are in place to reduce the negative impact on learning.
TP said it is intentionally applying AI to complement, rather than replace, core skills. “In the design and creative fields, AI is being considered as a support tool for ideation and prototyping, while maintaining the importance of basic skills and human judgment,” he added.
An RP spokesperson said students at the School of Arts, Media and Design Technology are trained to apply AI within guidelines to support the creative process, rather than replacing the role of a designer.
The school said students will also learn about quality control. This means assessing when AI output meets professional standards, when improvements are needed, and when non-AI approaches are more appropriate.
“This reflects the real-world creative environment, where speed, clarity and quality must coexist,” the spokesperson added.
Republic Polytechnic staff and students collaborated to create AI-generated visuals for the school’s open house materials.
Photo: Republic Polytechnic University
Hagen Lim, 19, a business student at New York University who has noticed the use of AI-generated visuals on campus, such as posters and large displays, said he and his colleagues are not opposed to the use of AI in general.
However, he feels there can be an over-reliance on such tools when it comes to content that represents the school.
“Students ultimately want to see real people,” he said, explaining that heavy use of AI visuals feels “low effort.”
He said the use of AI in public relations materials also raises accountability issues, noting that students need to declare and document the use of AI in their academic work. NYP did not say whether it similarly declared the use of AI in its documents.
“Generally, I’m not really in favor of using AI art,” Lim said, adding that schools should utilize their own design students rather than relying on AI.
A spokesperson for NYP said it encourages “appropriate use of AI” in teaching, learning and work. In 2025, polytechnics published a guide on the use of Gen AI, including rules for AI in academic settings.
Both staff and students are trained to use AI, and baseline AI literacy is built into all diploma programs. “Students learn to use these tools not as a replacement for human input, but as a means to enhance creativity within their own domain,” the school said.
Correction note: This story has been updated to reflect the dates provided in connection with Nanyang Technological University’s open house poster.
