Phil Olarte

Multisensory Innovation: How Phil Olarte Fuses Deep Code and Creative Design at NYU Tandon

For Phil Olarte, the rise of artificial intelligence signaled a permanent shift in how humanity interacts with computers. Wanting to go far beyond surface-level tech, he chose NYU Tandon’s Emerging Technologies Master’s Program to unlock the mechanics of AI on his own terms.

"With the advent of AI, it was clear we were vastly changing how we think about computers, and I wanted to go deeper," Phil explains. "I was attracted to the program's flexibility, there were only a couple of core classes, but the majority were electives."

Cracking Open the "Black Box" of AI

The Emerging Technologies program allowed Phil to merge deep computer science with human-centered design from NYU’s Integrated Design & Media Program and Interactive Telecommunications Program at NYU Tisch communities, giving him the technical depth to move fluidly between how AI systems work and how people experience them.

"We talk about the black box of AI," Phil notes. "This program allows you to dig deeper, understand how these models actually work, and explore their different applications."

That combination directly transformed his day-to-day work. For his graduate research, Phil designed and built MAIA, a multimodal AI system integrating computer vision, speech recognition, large language models, voice synthesis, and a responsive physical environment. The project explored how human-centered design can make interactions with artificial intelligence feel more intuitive, embodied, and emotionally meaningful while preserving boundaries on data privacy.

Sculpting a Custom Path

As an entrepreneur balancing a career, family, and kids, a rigid, linear schedule wasn't an option. Working closely with his academic advisor, Phil shuffled electives each semester to fit his real-life constraints while tapping into NYU’s vast entrepreneurial resources.

He credits NYU’s faculty, many of whom work at top tech and creative companies, for providing endless industry insight and support.

For future students, Phil’s advice is straightforward: "If you need hyper-flexibility, this program allows for that. But you're going to be sculpting your own path. It's not sculpted for you."