Creating a Dynamic Archive of Responsible Ecosystems in the Context of Creative AI
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Nottingham
Department Name: Philosophy
Abstract
Identifying stakeholders and delineating boundaries of ecosystems is especially challenging in the context of Creative AI applications as users of these applications including artists, the public, local authorities or national institutions, do not typically participate in their development. However, defining boundaries and stakeholders is important because different RAI considerations apply if the boundaries are drawn narrowly or widely; drawing narrow boundaries risks excluding relevant stakeholders from these ecosystems. Drawing boundaries widely risks any considerations of RAI becoming too complex to apply or identify. A key objective of this project is to develop the structure of a dynamic archive that can be used to identify the stakeholders in these ecosystems in the context of Creative AI. A parallel objective is to use the archived data to highlight the RAI considerations that need to be addressed in each project and to compare the boundaries of these AI ecosystems. This will generate deeper insight into how responsibility within AI ecosystems itself can be better understood.
This project will lay the foundation work for mapping RAI ecosystems in the context of Creative AI by using bottom-up evidence already collected in specific research projects. We interpret AI ecosystems as interlinked ecosystems consisting of different individual actors and groups interacting in complex ways with one another and with AI applications. These ecosystems are Responsible AI Ecosystems when they pay close attention to responsibility challenges as identified by RAI UK research. The project will have two stages: 1) a rigorous analysis of Digiscore (https://digiscore.github.io/pages/aboutus/Creative) which uses AI to create music for disabled musicians and CAT Royale (https://www.blasttheory.co.uk/projects/cat-royale) which uses AI to interact with pet animals and 2) a less intensive analysis of at least 5 additional projects. From this will emerge new and innovative insight into what might actually constitute responsible creative AI, its characteristics and features, its limitations and risks. For example, our analysis will involve examining the ethical and moral tension arising between the concepts of creativity, authenticity and responsibility, and will explore the different types of responsibility e.g. moral, legal, role or virtue attaching to this context.
Creative AI offers a way of extending and enriching human-based creativity, where AI becomes a benign collaborator enabling humans to break the constraints of established practice. From this perspective, the data curator for the AI becomes a key creative role within the AI ecosystem. This project will provide a scoping study of what might constitute responsible AI practice in this highly contested and emergent area. This specific context is important because creative industries are important economically and societally while creativity itself is underpinned by a range of ethical and epistemological considerations which impinge directly on any notion of responsible AI: we cannot simply import approaches to responsibility created for other sectors such as banking or financial services. Perhaps equally importantly, time is running out to get this right: a recent study by Stanford University found that none of the leading AI models in all sectors came close to being compliant with the draft European Union AI Act.
This project will lay the foundation work for mapping RAI ecosystems in the context of Creative AI by using bottom-up evidence already collected in specific research projects. We interpret AI ecosystems as interlinked ecosystems consisting of different individual actors and groups interacting in complex ways with one another and with AI applications. These ecosystems are Responsible AI Ecosystems when they pay close attention to responsibility challenges as identified by RAI UK research. The project will have two stages: 1) a rigorous analysis of Digiscore (https://digiscore.github.io/pages/aboutus/Creative) which uses AI to create music for disabled musicians and CAT Royale (https://www.blasttheory.co.uk/projects/cat-royale) which uses AI to interact with pet animals and 2) a less intensive analysis of at least 5 additional projects. From this will emerge new and innovative insight into what might actually constitute responsible creative AI, its characteristics and features, its limitations and risks. For example, our analysis will involve examining the ethical and moral tension arising between the concepts of creativity, authenticity and responsibility, and will explore the different types of responsibility e.g. moral, legal, role or virtue attaching to this context.
Creative AI offers a way of extending and enriching human-based creativity, where AI becomes a benign collaborator enabling humans to break the constraints of established practice. From this perspective, the data curator for the AI becomes a key creative role within the AI ecosystem. This project will provide a scoping study of what might constitute responsible AI practice in this highly contested and emergent area. This specific context is important because creative industries are important economically and societally while creativity itself is underpinned by a range of ethical and epistemological considerations which impinge directly on any notion of responsible AI: we cannot simply import approaches to responsibility created for other sectors such as banking or financial services. Perhaps equally importantly, time is running out to get this right: a recent study by Stanford University found that none of the leading AI models in all sectors came close to being compliant with the draft European Union AI Act.
| Description | 1. The project led to the generation of new research methods and resources: One of the original aims of the project was to develop the structure of an archive consisting of the AI ecosystems identified in the 7 case studies we focused on. Analysing the data collected in the case studies highlighted the need for a hybrid structure of an archive combining two already existing different perspectives e.g. the concentric circle model and the trajectories model. The combination of these two models was needed to accommodate different responsibility considerations associated with evolving AI ecosystems such as the ones associated with the creative industries. 2. The research undertaken in the workshops lead to the generation of new research questions. Our original research questions focused on using bottom-up evidence from specific case studies to develop a better understanding of AI ecosystems in terms of boundaries and stakeholders as well as understanding different responsibility priorities or risks associated with these ecosystems. As AI applications were used in the creation of artworks this increased the level of complexity when considering the creation of an archive of these artworks. As the research progressed, it became obvious that AI applications could be used not only in the process of creating an artwork but also in the process of documenting, preserving and maintaining the archive of artworks. This latter finding could revolutionize current issues in creating or maintaining archives of artworks and of their documentation. By the end of the project our research questions shifted to how we can use AI responsibly not only when creating artworks but also when documenting or archiving artworks and their archives. The new research questions formulated included whether we can indeed use AI in archiving and more importantly how to do this for artworks that include AI in the creation process. To summarise, se aimed to investigate: 1) what ecosystems are necessary for the responsible production and conservation of a dynamic archive of artworks 2) how archives could become dynamic to accommodate artworks created using AI. We held three workshops where we analysed the possible stakeholders of such archives. Our preliminary analysis identified artwork creators, performers, funders, copyright-holders, and end-users as key stakeholders, as well as the stakeholders from the archives and collections in which the works may reside. Our research shows that in terms of structure a dynamic archive should: 1) be editable and facilitate annotation 2) continue to grow over time 3) reconstitute itself in accordance with keywords set by whoever may wish to consult it 4) make visible different time-based versions of itself 5) be used curatorially and creatively as a live (generative) archive 6) provide the context and live, iterative, documentation of a work, including artworks generated by AI. A further finding relates to the responsible use of AI in documentation or archiving of artworks. We found that the potential of AI in documentation is related to what has already been documented and is available to it. As Giannachi, Benford and Farina found in 'Using AI for the documentation of intangible cultural heritage' (2024), this means that the use of AI for contextualisation, audience documentation, the documentation of a large quantity of data pertaining to different iterations of a work and the documentation of change, which are key parameters that current documentation practices struggle with, could all be built on, provided the AI has access to these documents. Moreover, AI could process documentation specifically in relation to different stakeholders in the ecosystem paying attention to the individual actors and groups interacting with each other and with the AI both at a specific moment in time and iteratively. Critically, these archives' ecosystems should allow for unpredictable factors that might emerge over time. In this sense, ecosystems must remain open and be capable of anticipating change. |
| Exploitation Route | The outcomes of this project are documented in the 4 research reports which are publicly available on the project website. This allows other researchers, policy institutions, artists and the general public to have access to the research findings and our analysis of the bottom up evidence collected in the research case studies. These reports could be used by other researchers working in the area of Responsible AI in the UK and abroad with a focus on AI ecosystems in the creative industries. These reports could also be used by artists working with AI applications who are interested in the interplay between the creative process and responsibility issues. Finally these reports can be used by the public as they provide an analysis of both the creative process but also of prioritising responsible use of AI whilst conducting interdisciplinary research. The reports have an interdisciplinary focus, combining different methodologies and approaches whilst trying to develop common terminology which can be applied by the different disciplines working in this area such as Philosophy, Art, Computer Science, Music, English, Creative Writing and Archival Studies. The project outcomes offer impact for artists and their audiences, institutions and companies working on creative arts as well as local authorities and public institutions acting as custodians of the arts. By identifying stakeholders, we highlight that a healthy and deep AI ecosystem, should be invested not only in a trustworthy but also an ethical, accessible, sustainable, and EDI-oriented AI so that it could itself, as a human-AI entanglement, promote EDI while remaining mindful of ethics, accessibility, and sustainability. Our industry partner Blueskeye AI, and our co-Investigator The National Archives (government institution) will be integrating these insights into their policies. |
| Sectors | Creative Economy Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) Culture Heritage Museums and Collections |
| URL | https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/humanities/departments/philosophy/research/research-projects/ai-ecosystems.aspx |
| Description | 1. Successes achieved in engaging individuals or communities currently underrepresented in AI conversations: The workshops focused on perspectives by artists, researchers and artists with disabilities and national institutions (e.g. TNA). The public event was attended by members of the public and members of the wider industry. The case studies we analysed during the workshops included stakeholders which are typically excluded from the development of AI applications in this context e.g. artists, artists and researchers with disabilities etc. During the workshops we had the opportunity to discuss EDI issues with the artists and researchers involved in some of the case studies and listen to their perspectives and experiences to develop ways these issues can be addressed through further research. The follow up bid submitted for the demonstrator project includes artists and researchers with disabilities to enable us to build on insights gained through the BRAID scoping project. 2. New connections facilitated between different stakeholder groups in AI ecosystem: The workshops and public event brought together different and typically unrelated stakeholders in this context such as researchers and artists with disabilities, academic experts, the public, national institutions, cultural institutions and the industry. Networking between these groups led to the development of a follow up demonstrator bid. The project team for the demonstrator project includes artists and researchers with disabilities, academic experts in the fields of archival studies, documentation, performance media, AI and responsibility, national institutions, cultural institutions and industry partners from the UK, the US and Europe. 3. The findings from the 6-month project have been used to generate new and important research questions .e.g. can we use AI applications in a responsible way when creating artworks and their archives? The role of AI applications in the creation of artworks is currently one of the hot topics for the creative industries. However the question of using AI applications, whether we can and how we can do this in a responsible way so that this use is aligned with the different priorities and perspectives of the stakeholders are new questions and they could lead to the creation of a new research area which can impact several different disciplines in the Arts and Media, Archival Studies, Cultural Heritage and Computer Science. Although these questions focus on the creative industries and cultural institutions, several members of the industry are now having to consider archives and the archiving process because of the large volume of data collected. This broadens the impact of this research to have implications for industry members working with large volumes of data and information which needs to be preserved and accessed in perpetuity. Our findings have been used by some of the project investigators to secure additional funding (UKRI/AH/B000509/1) to continue developing this new research area. 4. The framework developed during the scoping project will be used by our industry partner, Blueskeye AI, when developing new AI applications to use in the creative industries or in the context of developing AI applications in the context of health. As the framework developed highlights perspectives from marginalised stakeholders, such as disabled artists and researchers, this will enable further alignment with the guidelines of Responsible AI research. 5. With the growth of metadata linked to digital items, produced by technologies like AI that create variations of the original artifact, there's a necessity for enhanced systems to monitor the origins and authenticity of these digital objects. This includes tracking changes to their metadata. Our current digital infrastructure is not well suited to these emerging challenges. Our collaborator, The National Archives (TNA) are interested in progressing the scoping work of BRAID to further understand this landscape and the technologies required to handle these new forms of data at scale. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2024 |
| Sector | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Government, Democracy and Justice,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
| Impact Types | Cultural Societal Policy & public services |
| Description | TURING AI Research Fellowship awarded to Steve Benford a co-Investigator and member of our research team |
| Amount | £6,000,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/Z2534808/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2024 |
| End | 10/2029 |
| Description | UKRI509 Responsible use of AI in the creation, archiving, reactivation and conservation of artworks and their archives |
| Amount | £922,257 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | UKRI/AH/B000509/1 |
| Organisation | Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2025 |
| End | 01/2028 |
| Description | Archiv.I.A.: l'intelligenza artificiale applicata agli archivi |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Public debate about the use of AI in archives |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Creative and Digital showcase event (AI, creativity and embodiment) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | AI, Creativity and Embodiment - a seminar exploring the creative, experimental and playful possibilities of AI You are cordially invited to this event exploring the creative, experimental, and playful possibilities of AI. Please do circulate this invitation to colleagues - thank you! When: Friday 5 July, 13:00 - 15:00 Where: Music Recital Hall, University Park |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Creative and Digital symposium - 'Creative practice as research' outputs Symposium |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This symposium was convened to discuss challenges and identify best practice in relation to support for and evaluation of "Creative Practice as Research" outputs with the aim of developing a robust framework to support, and advocate for, our flourishing creative practice research activities, imcluding AI. These best practice guidelines will be designed to support our community of researchers as we head in towards the next REF cycle. Audience - regional HEI research leaders wirthin the arts disciplines. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Documenting intangible cultural heritage through AI |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | UNESCO webinar which intends to inform their policy on the use of AI in intangible cultural heritage |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Gabriella Giannachi keynote address at University of Nottingham event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Project member Gabriella Giannachi was invited to be the keynote presenter at the University of Nottingham annual Connecting Human-AI interaction researchers (CHAIR) event, where she spoke about work connected to the project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/humanities/departments/philosophy/news-and-events/events/2024/chair-ii-... |
| Description | Invest 2035: An invitation to explore the opportunities for East Midland's universities in the future of our region's Creative & Digital Industries |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Discussion about how East Midlands' universities might best support the growth of our region's creative and digital sectors in the light of the recent publication of the Industrial Strategy Green Paper: Invest 2035. The meeting, scheduled for 24th January 10.30 - 4 pm, explored the principles underpinning the Industrial Strategy and how we might respond as a region. This includes aspects of resposbile AI within the arts sector. Preliminary discussion areas: How might we help build a 'space' for the East Midlands Creative Industries in the Industrial Strategy. What does our shared knowledge and evidence base look like as a case for the region's needs and potential? What would long-term sustainable, inclusive and resilient planning and investment look like for the region's Creative Industries and how might this crosscut and support other sectors? What role might universities take in terms of talent development, research and innovation and commercialisation support? What strategic messages might we feed in collectively and/or individually at institutional level in response to the Green Paper |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/research/research-areas/creative-and-digital/index.aspx |
| Description | Invited talk to PhD students and other researchers |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Presentation of project findings by PI Lydia Farina during keynote talk on 'AI and Responsibility' given at Annual Retreat event organised by Horizon Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT). Around 40 postgraduate students working on interdisciplinary AI projects attended the event. The talk was followed by discussion and a Q and A section and generate considerable interest in research on Responsible AI for the creative industries. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://cdt.horizon.ac.uk/2024/04/26/horizon-cdt-2024-retreat/ |
| Description | Public and networking event sharing findings of the scoping project |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Around 30 participants attended a public event in June 2024 where we shared findings of the scoping project. The participants included members of the public, postgraduate students, artists, members of the industry and other researchers working on the AHRC funded BRAID programme. There was a brief presentation of the scoping project, an interactive Q + A section and some interactive tasks aimed at engaging the participants with the main research questions of the project. The event took place at the Cobot Maker Space at the University of Nottingham and the participants got the opportunity at the end to familiarise themselves with 'state of the art' robotic AI currently hosted at the Cobot Maker Space. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/humanities/departments/philosophy/research/research-projects/ai-ecosyst... |