Conversations #8 | On AI

Conversations #8 | On AI
Saturday February 1st, 5-7PM
Moderated by CELA director Frank Tazelaar and CELA project coordinator Kim van Kaam, a panel of international literary experts will discuss the impact of AI on (the future of) the literary industry. What do we talk about when we talk about AI? What is the impact of AI on the position of the literary artist and on the (future of the) literary industry? How can we have a relevant, urgent and clear conversation on this topic in the face of ongoing technical developments and insights, developing legislation and new tools? Will it help us be better artists, editors, publishers, booksellers, or will it destroy artistic products in the face of commercial opportunities?
We will discuss these questions in a live panel with experts from the CELA network, including Vincenzo Latronico (writer, IT), Martina Kutková (translator, CZ), Aljaž Koprivnikar (literary professional, SI) and Nevena Milojevic (foreign rights manager, RS). The discussion will be divided into 3 chapters, each with their own focus topic.
Keynote introduction
The debate will opened with a keynote speech from writer, translator and publisher Pierdomenico Baccalario (IT) about the impact of AI on the literary industry
Round 1: Ethics and legislation
How can, will, or already does AI influence the publishing industry? What does the AI Act entail, and how can we use it? And what are the ethical implications on using AI in artistic processes and in publishing? This round includes a video contribution by Paola Verhaert (writer and researcher, BE).
Round 2: Translation
Should the literary translator take a position as an a) artist; b) language expert; c) scout, ambassador, literary professional? How can we support these positions with the use of AI? This round includes a video contribution by Bojana Budimir (translator, RS).
Round 3: Writing
In the final round we focus on writing. How do we use AI in creative processes? What is the impact of AI on writing, re-writing, brainstorming et cetera? This round includes a video contribution by Rie Qudan (writer, JP).

[@IgnacioFerrando-u3x]

Very interestig Frank! AI can pull from thousands of stories and put together something that looks original, but at the end , it’s just remixing what already exists. It can create well-structured sentences and even compelling narratives, but true creativity? That still feels like a human thing. Definitely a conversation worth having as AI keeps evolving in art and storytelling!

Whenever a new technology appears, I remember the candle makers when electricity was introduced. Life is constantly changing, and humans are adapting. As one of the participants said, humans create a lot of lousy literature (and art) as well, so who are we to judge AI? Real art is (or at least, has been until now) a genuine human need, and humans will continue producing real art, probably parallel to, and perhaps together with AI. The readers will decide which works are better, just like it has done for all these centuries of art creation.
I agree with the Italian colleague that no one should have to translate catalogues (and manuals). Technology should allow us to dedicate ourselves to things we enjoy.