The possibilities of 'good' generative AI in the cultural and creative industries

Within the last two years, the launch of prominent generative AI technologies such as ChatGPT and Midjourney has intensified debates about how AI is developed and trained, about its potential biases and blindspots, and about how these technologies could, and should, be used. These debates have been particularly visible within the artistic and creative industries, with widespread outcry about AI models being trained on artists’ work without permission, and related concerns about generative AI taking work away from creative professionals. Conversely, AI is also pitched as offering many creative possibilities within culture and the arts, with a discourse around how AI is “reimagining” and “unlocking” creativity and creative practices. This discussion paper provides an overview of challenges, possibilities, and opportunities relating to generative AI and its relationship to cultural production and innovation in the UK. It explores how generative AI can form part of a “good” future for the UK’s cultural and creative industries, encouraging desirable social outcomes through strategies that foreground artists’ consent, remuneration, consultation in creative AI development, and the support of diverse cultural outputs.