UTAR highlighted the creative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in media production through a series of innovative projects exhibited during the 8th Luminary International Conference (Luminary 2026), held at the UTAR Sungai Long Campus from 3 to 4 February 2026. The conference brought together nearly 150 scholars and experts from seven economies to explore the theme Global Innovations in Sustainable Earth through Research, Technology, and Education.
As part of the conference exhibition, a team from the Faculty of Creative Industries (FCI) demonstrated three experimental video projects exploring how AI can be applied to digital storytelling and promotional media. The projects, titled Your Mum’s Green, Pertang’s Buddies, and Welcome to Pertang, showcased different approaches to integrating AI tools with human creative direction in content production.
FCI Head of Department of Game Studies Mr Tan Han Keong developed Your Mum’s Green, a 3D animated trailer inspired by Malaysian cultural humour. The project reinterprets the Malay slang phrase Mak Engkau Hijau through a light-hearted narrative, demonstrating how AI-assisted workflows can support the creation of stylised animated content.
The tourism-themed project Pertang’s Buddies, developed by Ms Foo Mei Lee, Pn Raja Rodziah binti Raja Zainal Hassan, Ms Kor Eng Choon, En Muhamad Albarr bin Che Omar and Pn Iza Sharina binti Sallehuddin from the Department of Media, combined live-action footage of Pertang New Village in Negeri Sembilan with AI-generated animated characters. The video introduces playful animal guides inspired by local wildlife and folklore, offering an engaging way to promote the cultural identity and attractions of the village.
Another project, Welcome to Pertang, developed by Mr Tan and Mr Anthony Gandolfo Miranti Jr, explored the use of fully AI-generated images, characters and sound to create realistic and emotionally engaging visual scenes. The project examined how AI can assist creators in developing immersive narratives while streamlining aspects of digital production.
Collectively, the projects illustrated the emerging “human-in-the-loop” model of AI-assisted media production, where creators guide and refine AI outputs to maintain narrative coherence and cultural authenticity. Researchers involved in the projects highlighted prompt engineering and modular design techniques as essential methods for maintaining visual consistency and overcoming common AI limitations.
The exhibition reflected FCI’s ongoing exploration of how AI can be integrated into media education and creative practice. By experimenting with AI-supported workflows, the initiative demonstrated how emerging technologies can expand creative possibilities while equipping students with skills relevant to the evolving digital media landscape.
The showcase also aligned with UTAR’s broader commitment to advancing innovation-driven education and interdisciplinary collaboration. Through platforms such as Luminary 2026, the University continues to encourage research and creative initiatives that combine technology, culture and storytelling to address contemporary challenges.
The artwork created by FCI staff members
From left: Pn Raja Rodziah, Ms Foo, Mr Anthony, Mr Tan, En Muhamad Albarr, Pn Iza Sharina and Ms Kor
The links to the teams’ creative work:
Welcome to Pertang (full AI) - https://youtu.be/mp8ronSJNe4
Your Mum’s Green (AI animation) - https://youtu.be/Ee-9vJa7NVo
Pertang’s Buddies (hybrid live action and AI) - https://youtu.be/LtfzpmHR5go
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