Democratization and generative AI image creation: aesthetics, citizenship, and practices

TY - JOUR

T1 - Democratization and generative AI image creation

T2 - aesthetics, citizenship, and practices

AU - Bak Herrie, Maja

AU - Maleve, Nicolas René M

AU - Philipsen, Lotte

AU - Bryld Staunæs, Asker

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - The article critically analyzes how contemporary image practices involving generative artificial intelligence are entangled with processes of democratization. We demonstrate and discuss how generative artificial intelligence images raise questions of democratization and citizenship in terms of access, skills, validation, truths, and diversity. First, the article establishes a theoretical framework, which includes theory on democratization and aesthetics and lays the foundations for the analytical concepts of ‘formative’ and ‘generative’ visual citizenship. Next, we argue for the use of explorative and collaborative methods to investigate contemporary image practice, before analyzing the central part of our investigation, which takes the form of four collaborative workshops conducted in 2023 with external partners in different domains (the art scene, art therapy, education, and the news media). After analyzing insights from these workshops, the article significantly nuances how visual citizenship is at work in different manners depending on the different concrete image practices using generative artificial intelligence. Finally, we conclude that an aesthetic perspective offers valuable insights into foundational aspects of belonging to contemporary visual communities.

AB - The article critically analyzes how contemporary image practices involving generative artificial intelligence are entangled with processes of democratization. We demonstrate and discuss how generative artificial intelligence images raise questions of democratization and citizenship in terms of access, skills, validation, truths, and diversity. First, the article establishes a theoretical framework, which includes theory on democratization and aesthetics and lays the foundations for the analytical concepts of ‘formative’ and ‘generative’ visual citizenship. Next, we argue for the use of explorative and collaborative methods to investigate contemporary image practice, before analyzing the central part of our investigation, which takes the form of four collaborative workshops conducted in 2023 with external partners in different domains (the art scene, art therapy, education, and the news media). After analyzing insights from these workshops, the article significantly nuances how visual citizenship is at work in different manners depending on the different concrete image practices using generative artificial intelligence. Finally, we conclude that an aesthetic perspective offers valuable insights into foundational aspects of belonging to contemporary visual communities.

KW - Democratization

KW - Explorative workshops

KW - Generative artificial intelligence

KW - Image practices

KW - Visual citizenship

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85206652280&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/s00146-024-02102-y

DO - 10.1007/s00146-024-02102-y

M3 - Journal article

SN - 1435-5655

JO - AI & Society

JF - AI & Society

ER -