The Art and Science of Creative AI is a two-day interdisciplinary symposium exploring how artificial intelligence is reshaping the terrain of artistic production, cultural memory, and aesthetic knowledge. It brings together researchers, artists, theorists, and technologists to examine AI not only as a tool or collaborator, but as a catalyst in the formation of new creative methods, conceptual models, and infrastructures.
At the heart of this symposium lies a philosophical provocation: what is synthetic knowledge — forms of understanding and aesthetic insight that emerge from non-human processes? As AI systems simulate, remix, and increasingly engage in creative acts, what are the implications for authorship, embodiment, and intentionality?
The event will also host the inaugural in-person CreativeAI@UCL SIG Lunch, fostering collaboration across disciplines and building a sustained UCL research community around creative artificial intelligence.
Main Aims and Goals
- Public Understanding of AI and CultureThe symposium offers an accessible and critical framework for understanding how AI is changing cultural life and creative expression, directly benefiting artists, educators, cultural workers, and technologists.
- Platform for Emerging VoicesThrough demonstration sessions and discussion panels, the event provides opportunities for early-career researchers, artists, and practitioners to present work and engage with peers and the public.
- Cultural Infrastructure DevelopmentThe conversations around creative AI tools, infrastructures, and responsible deployment help inform best practices in the arts and heritage sectors, supporting institutions seeking to integrate AI responsibly.
- London and East London EngagementHosting the event across UCL Bloomsbury and UCL East fosters connection with diverse communities and creative organisations in both central and East London, amplifying the university's civic mission.
People
Key Themes
Day 1: Creative Practice and Critical Reflection
Location: UCL Bloomsbury
| Time | Session | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 09:00 – 09:30 | Registration & Welcome Coffee | Arrival and informal networking |
| 09:30 – 09:45 | Opening Remarks | Prof Brigitta Zics |
| 09:45 – 10:45 | Keynote 1: The Aesthetic Intelligence of Machines | On AI and the boundaries of visual, sonic, and conceptual intelligence |
| 10:45 – 11:00 | Coffee Break | |
| 11:00 – 12:15 | Panel 1: AI and Arts Practice | New creative practices and aesthetics shaped by AI as tool or topic |
| 12:15 – 13:30 | CreativeAI@UCL SIG Lunch Meeting | Inaugural in-person gathering of UCL's interdisciplinary Creative AI network |
| 13:30 – 14:45 | Panel 2: Simulating, Enhancing, and Partnering with AI | AI as a tool for simulation and enhancement, or as a co-creative agent |
| 14:45 – 15:00 | Short Break | |
| 15:00 – 16:15 | Panel 3: Critique and Commentary on AI | The role of the arts in explaining, questioning, and resisting AI systems |
| 16:15 – 17:00 | Demonstration Session 1: Experimental Projects | Artist-led and student-led project demos, installations, and live tools |
| 17:00 – 18:00 | Networking Reception | Informal drinks and conversation |
Day 2: Infrastructures, Authorship, and Innovation
Location: UCL East
| Time | Session | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 09:30 – 10:30 | Keynote 2: Memory, Meaning, and Machine Vision | On AI and cultural interpretation, archives, and perception |
| 10:30 – 10:45 | Coffee Break | |
| 10:45 – 12:00 | Panel 4: Understanding Culture Through AI | How AI tools shape the investigation, narration, and preservation of cultural memory |
| 12:00 – 13:15 | Lunch | |
| 13:15 – 14:30 | Panel 5: Authorship and Intellectual Property in Creative AI | Rethinking copyright, ownership, and originality in generative contexts |
| 14:30 – 15:45 | Panel 6: Creative AI Infrastructures and Innovation | Tools, workflows, and ecosystems enabling AI-driven creative production |
| 15:45 – 16:00 | Short Break | |
| 16:00 – 17:00 | Demonstration Session 2: AI Systems in Practice | Practical platforms from industry, heritage, education, and media |
| 17:00 – 17:30 | Closing Roundtable: Toward a Responsible Creative AI Agenda | Reflections, synthesis, and cross-sector takeaways |
Both days will include workshops and demonstrations, featuring AI research project demos, educational and AI education workshops, as well as AI film and creative production workshops.