Following the launch of Art, AI and the Future of Creativity, our Luxury Insights Report with ArtTactic, Cultural Comms Co-founder Nina Plowman officially introduces the publication and takes a look at some of the key takeaways to be found within its pages.
Read on for more below, and click here to download the report for yourself.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is evolving at breakneck speed and has already permeated many aspects of our lives. However, there are still many nascent issues to explore, particularly in the creative industries. This report delves into some of those issues.
When we embarked on the report earlier this year, the luxury and collectibles industries we operate across were diametrically opposed: concern in some places and excitement in others. Indeed, many cultural institutions and luxury brands are still navigating how they engage with and respond to AI, given its potential impact on business operations, intellectual property rights, and the ability to spread misinformation. Compiling this report was part of a process to help us understand the practicalities of navigating these issues as AI inevitably changes how we work within our sector.
An inspiration for the report was Albert Read’s book, The Imagination Muscle, which explores human creativity and how it can be enhanced in our daily lives. The demands of the 21st century make AI useful for many logistical tasks, as well as for “amplifying imagination,” as one of our contributors, the artist and innovator Daniel Ambrosi, states.
Happily, there remains an appetite for real-life art and cultural experiences. The desire to engage with our passions and for luxury made by the human hand all signal a deeper need for human connection. And yet, as AI becomes a well-used tool for administrative tasks, it is also becoming a valuable creative collaborator for artists and designers. At Goldsmiths, University of London, Rachel Falconer, Head of Digital Arts Computing, sees it as a “democratising tool.”
Interestingly, we found from our own research that 79% of senior leaders in the art and luxury collectibles market surveyed say they either trust or are neutral to AI. Meanwhile, 21% expressed a significant level of distrust in it. AI will undoubtedly change our perception of what is good and what has value. It will also challenge our notions of truth - a complex topic that is lightly regulated at present.
Here at Cultural Comms, we are optimistic about the future. This report, drawn from three main sources, supports that outlook:
1. Interviews with a broad cross-section of the creative and luxury worlds, including leading artists and gallerists working at the forefront of the AI revolution.
2. A survey of influential board-level decision-makers in the arts and luxury collectables sectors.
3. Detailed research from ArtTactic examining the attitudes of new and established collectors towards AI-generated art.
Pulling together the report was part of a process to understand the practicalities of navigating these issues as AI inevitably changes how we work within our sector. It has really set our minds racing about the exciting possibilities AI can deliver for our clients, as well as the pitfalls that could trap the unwary.
Art, AI and the Future of Creativity would not have been possible without the help of our editor Andrew Shirley, who edited the Knight Frank Wealth Report for 15 years and created the firm’s Luxury Investment Index.
We hope you find the report as enlightening as we did while examining the opportunities and challenges AI brings for the worlds in which we operate - art, luxury, and collectibles - and what the future holds for them. Do look out for more content and insights from our contributors as we release additional articles on the website over the coming weeks.
The future is here, but the conversation has only just begun.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
COLLABORATOR, NOT COMPETITOR
Some might assume that artists and craftspeople would feel the most threatened by AI-generated content. In fact, many, such as Rob and Nick Carter, who we interviewed for the report, have embraced AI. They use it to take their art to places that would be hard to reach without the help of technology.
Some retain their creative primacy, allowing AI to work only within strict parameters. Others give AI freer rein, permitting it to play a larger role in the creative process, operating almost as a partnership. The results are fascinating and will continue to evolve, boosting creativity and innovation.
THE HUMAN TOUCH STILL RESONATES
The desire to own something created by another human hand turns out to be less of a personal preference and more of a deeply ingrained instinct. Only 4% of the respondents to our survey* believe that craftsmanship and the human experience will become less important over the next decade, while half predict it will become much more significant.
Tapping into that sentiment and sharing their stories will be crucial for artists and creators. As report contributor Lucy Cleland, Founding Editor of Country & Town House, aptly states, "imperfect is the new perfect."
KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
While it seems unlikely that artists will be replaced by robots anytime soon, there are clear differences in collector attitudes towards AI-generated art. According to research by ArtTactic, almost 70% of established art collectors believe AI-generated art isn’t as important as traditional mediums.
However, only 44% of newer collectors share that view, with almost one-third stating that AI art is more important due to its cutting-edge approach to creativity. These findings highlight the importance of understanding your audience and tailoring your approach accordingly.
TRANSPARENCY AND TRUST ARE KEY
In a world where deep fake images and cloned voices—such as Sir David Attenborough’s—are becoming commonplace, maintaining client trust is vital for the creative and luxury industries.
Although nearly 60% of our survey respondents* are excited by AI’s potential, 65% express concern about authenticity. While bad actors may exploit AI’s powers to deceive, genuine creatives must be transparent about how AI is used in their work.
BE AWARE BEFORE JUMPING IN
Amid the creative excitement, significant AI-related issues could harm artists and luxury brands if not addressed. For example, the unauthorised—and unpaid-for—use of artists’ works to "train" AI models calls for government intervention.
Other challenges, such as data protection and client privacy, require businesses to carefully manage the risks of increasingly autonomous AI systems. Additionally, companies must address the environmental impact of energy-intensive AI models and confront the gender and racial biases that can affect some algorithms.
