Lund is the place as the EU investigates how AI affects creative industries
How can AI be used to develop cultural and creative sectors and industries (KKSNs)? Within ekip project (ekip stands for European Cultural and Creative Industries Innovation Policy Platform) Participants from across Europe work together to share experiences and new knowledge for the European Commission's work on future policies for the area. The work is led by Lund University and Future by Lund also participates. The project takes a closer look at what is required by future policies within KKSN, area by area. Thus, one sub-area deals with AI, and Lund, Bratislava, Rotterdam and St. Etienne carry out synchronized work with portfolio methodology basically. The participants in Lund come from different parts of the industry and are, for example, entrepreneurs with their own businesses, researchers from the university, officials from Region Skåne and Lund Municipality and representatives from the cultural organizers. Even larger companies are in the loop.
- Instead of worrying about AI, we decided to take responsibility: explore and learn how to use and work with AI and immersive technologies (such as VR and AR) for the benefit of human creation and cultural participation. By working together and using our different strengths as authorities, universities, companies and organisations, we can explore how the innovation areas of the future and AI can work together,” says Birgitta Persson, Future by Lund.
Within the portfolio Archeología y tecnologia immersivi Work is already underway in Lund to digitise archaeological excavations in various ways and to use AI's capabilities. At the same time, there is a desire to make events to bring the results to life, such as the excavations in Uppåkra but it could also be about other events to bring the story to life, for example regarding the Battle of Lund.
- To create tools that we can use to tell stories, we need to be sure that we are based on qualitative and research-based data, says Charlotte Lorentz Hjorth who led this part of the workshop. Data should be accessible and AI can become an enabler but we must be sure that AI does not cause us to suffer synthetic data; that is, we must be sure that it does not become a material that is fabulating.
This group also participated Paola Derudas from Laboratory of Digital Archaeology (DARK Lab) at Lund University.
- AI can help us archaeologists filter out what we are interested in. It can also be a tool that helps, for example, game developers to use archaeology as an environment. Lund is both tradition and innovation and we are a great place to showcase new opportunities and perspectives.
Within the portfolio Personalised digitalised concerts Work is already underway to make it possible to give a digital audience a concert experience from home with the ability to select parts of the sound, choose a location in the venue for a special sound experience, and to zoom the image or choose the camera yourself. In many cases, AI is already being used as an integral part of the technical equipment.
- This shows that AI, when used as a creative tool, can really drive human-centered innovation, points out Birgitta Persson.
In the group that discussed the third portfolio, Fashion & Textile Transformation, a perspective was taken on AI as a general support structure for working with societal change. AI is already used in the industry, for example to optimize manufacturing, logistics and more, but the group participants thought about what is needed for us to have intelligent but also humane AI support.
- We have talked about creating the platform IUAI, which stands for Intelligent Use of AI but also for I like me and U like you, says Despina Christoforidou, Industrial designn, Lund University. How can we influence AI so that it really is a useful tool instead of having to think about whether AI is going to take over the world? We need teachers in AI and teachers in our fields who master AI. Now there will be consumption of AI where we do not know what the algorithms entail and are based on.
During the days, questions were also raised about how AI can be used to benefit talent development.
- We could develop the portfolio of digital concert experiences through a series of events. We need to build test beds for concert experiences and many of the major organizers in the area are interested, says Jesper Larsson, Malmo Opera. It takes a while before new technology and new ways of using it become the normal behavior. When the normal changes, it will justify the entry of knowledge into trainings and courses.
Other reflections were that the support system may need to make entirely new efforts for incubators and innovation hubs operating in the border area between different subject areas. It was also about how to do not lose sight of the good qualities of the human being, such as using his emotions, his creativity and his ability to combine and collaborate across sectors. One thought was that to thrive in an AI-driven world now, we need to focus on the skills of tomorrow and foster capabilities that enable seamless collaboration across sectors.
- During the workshop, we saw that more people need to have the opportunity to learn more about AI so that we do not have to feel uncomfortable, summarizes Katarina Scott. Resources may be needed to train not only experts but also broadly. By distributing AI usage and more areas coming in, we can get a more secure AI.
The workshop had two important objectives, firstly to discuss the impact of AI on KKSN and to further develop the relevant portfolios.
- It's amazing to see how far three KKSN portfolios can get in just a few hours in the right environment, says Charlotte Lorentz Hjorth. This challenges and strengthens Lund's innovation ecosystem.
The work with players in the three portfolios continues and will, among other things, be included in the international forum Unexpected to be held in Lund in June 2025.
