Artificial “intelligence” is about teaching machines to learn and process information like humans. This technology enables the creation of smart programs and devices capable of carrying out tasks of various complexity, often repetitive, without needing constant supervision or instructions by humans. A special type of AI can be trained to generate new content and thus mimic the creative and artistic process: this is usually referred to as “generative” AI. It is powered by neural networks, inspired by the structure of the human brain, and by extremely powerful algorithms trained on large datasets of text, images or audio files, to detect patterns and make predictions or generate content that closely approximates the input data.

This technology has the potential to support and enhance the human creative process. However, its application may also result in significant job displacement. Performers may find themselves in competition with flawless digital replicas of themselves or others, or even entirely synthetic performers. Therefore, it is imperative that AI development is not left unchecked: from its training to its practical deployment, robust safeguards need to be established to mitigate bias, maximise transparency and explicability, and firmly establish informed consent and fair compensation as integral aspects of its usage.