The Elected Student Officer Team at Arts Students' Union (Arts SU) expresses concerns over the upcoming event, "The Work of Art in the Age of Serial Generation," for the Tony Blair Institute which will take place on Wednesday, 2nd April, at UAL’s Chelsea College of Art.
The Elected Student Officer Team at Arts Students' Union (Arts SU) expresses concerns over the upcoming event, "The Work of Art in the Age of Serial Generation," for the Tony Blair Institute which will take place on Wednesday, 2nd April, at UAL’s Chelsea College of Art.
While Arts SU acknowledges the importance of academic freedom and discussions about the evolving creative sector and rise of artificial intelligence (AI), the decision by University of the Arts London (UAL) to host an event by an organisation that is funded by US Tech billionaire, Larry Ellison, and advocating for reduced copyright protections in the AI sector raises serious concerns. We believe that it is a contradiction of the values of the University in which its students pay tens of thousands of pounds per year to pursue futures in the creative industries while hosting organisations which seek to dismantle that future.
“Our research indicates that UAL students are increasingly worried about the impact of AI on employment opportunities in the creative sector,” recent Arts SU research explains. “UAL should be collaborating with organisations that aim to protect and empower future creatives, rather than those seeking to erode their rights”.
Arts SU calls on UAL to take a firm stance and use its connections within the industry, and influencing and lobbying power to support students’ professional futures by engaging with organisations that strengthen, rather than diminish, protections for creative professionals.
UAL current strategic plan states that ‘the world needs creativity’. To fulfil this mission, UAL must work to create a world where its creatives are protected and championed.
Arts Students’ Union Sabbatical Officer Team 2024/25
Notes:
Art or Algorithm is a new research report from Arts SU, exploring how students at the University of the Arts London (UAL) view AI’s role in their education and future careers.
The report is essential reading for policymakers, industry leaders, educators, students interested in the future of the UK’s creative industries. As the government focuses on strengthening the creative pipeline, it is vital to understand how AI is affecting the next generation of creative professionals, those who will shape the industry for years to come. Read more about Art or Algorithm's release.