Please note: the views expressed in this article are those of the author Naci Nott (30 April 2026)
AI has brought rapid cultural change but one thing remains the same – artists can help us grapple with the tough questions.
Some people see AI as a tool for democratising creative and technical disciplines. Others hear the rasp of a cultural death rattle. But how many grasp the extent to which humans are threatened by AI’s existence?
Countless creatives have already lost work due, and many more have had their intellectual property stolen. A study in Britain found two thirds of creative practitioners and 50% of novelists felt their careers are threatened by AI. Unfortunately, the problem with AI doesn’t begin and end with copyright.
The widespread adoption over the last five years means that it’s everywhere, from chat bots to web browsers. Millions of AI images, videos and songs are generated every day.
Many entrepreneurs and business owners (especially those without an arts background) are excited by the prospect of generating instant content without having to pay an artist. Creatives tend to be warier of AI, as many have experienced the devaluation of their work as a direct result of its popularity.
There’s also the question of AI companies aiming for superintelligence without implementing adequate ethical measures. For creatives, then, these developments raise a raft of existential questions.
Image: A Birmingham Prize Fight, 1789 By W Allen. Photo: Birmingham Museums Trust on Unsplash.