ReportoftheIndependentExpertGroupon

ArtificialIntelligence

andCulture2025

Graphicdesignandcoverdesign:MomoScacchiGraphicdesignforlayout:ThaísaPlein

ThepresentreportwaspreparedbyanlndependentExpertGroupconvenedbyUNESCOtogatherviewsandideasoncu|tureandartificia|inte||igence.lnrecognitionofthecentra|ro|eofknow|edgeandideasintransformation,thisinitiativeref|ectsUNESCO’sro|easa|aboratoryofideas.Bygeneratingnove|insights,thedocumentaimstocontribute—amongothersources—tothediscussionsatMONDlACULT2025.Un|essotherwiseexpress|ystated,thefindings,interpretationsandconc|usionscontainedhereinarethoseoftheindependentexpertswhopreparedthedocumentanddonotnecessari|yrepresenttheviewsofUNESCO,itsMemberStates,oranyinstitution,nordotheycommittheOrganizationinanyway.

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TABLEOFCONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS7

EXECUTIVESUMMARY9

I.INTRODUCTION11

II.MAPPINGTHEETHICALLANDSCAPEOFAIINCULTURE13

A.AI,aDouble-edgedTool:OpportunitiesandChallengesforCulture13

1.Opportunities13

2.Challenges14

B.OverviewofkeyUNESCOandUNinitiativesattheintersectionofAI14

andCulture

C.Otherinstrumentsandregulations16

D.Conclusions18

References19

III.CULTURALRIGHTSINTHEDIGITALERA:EQUITY,DIVERSITYANDTHE21

PROTECTIONOFCULTURALCOMMONSINTHEAGEOFAI

A.ReassessingthebondbetweencultureandAI:Recognizingthe21

cognitivevalueofculturaldata

B.EnsuringequitableaccesstoAItoolsintheculturesector23

C.AddressingalgorithmicbiasesandsafeguardingculturaldiversityinAI24

systems

D.SafeguardingCulturalRightsandRedistributingtheValueGenerated25

byAIUseofCulturalData

E.Conclusions27

References29

IV.THEIMPACTOFAIONCULTURALVALUECHAINSINTHECREATIVE31

ECONOMY

A.Problematization31

B.UNESCO’spioneeringroleinpromotingequityintheAI-transformed32

creativeeconomy

C.AI’sdisruptiveimpactacrossthecreativevaluechain:opportunities33

andchallenges

1.Thenewcreativelandscape:Threephasesoftransformation33

2.Economicandsocialchallenges35

D.Alternativeeconomicmodels:Supportingdiversityandindependence35

1.Empoweringcreativecommunities:Rights,recognitionand36

agency

2.Strengtheninglocalcreativeindustries36

3.Democratizingaccess:Algorithmicpluralismandliteracy36

4.InternationalCooperation37

E.Conclusions38

References39

V.CULTURALEDUCATIONINTHEAIERA:TRAININGTHETALENTSOF40

TOMORROW

A.IntegratingAIcompetenceintoartisticcurricula40

B.Developinghybridskillsandtransdisciplinaryfluenciesforcultural43

professions

C.Museums&CulturalInstitutions:SowingtheseedsofAI4144

D.Conclusions45

References47

5

VI.CLIMATE,CULTUREANDAIFORANENVIRONMENTALSUSTAINABILITY48

A.Theenvironmentalimpactofdigitalization:Towardseco-responsible49

practices

1.Low-carbonAIpracticesinculturalproduction50

2.Interdisciplinaryresearchframeworkforculturalsustainability50

B.Artisticcreationandsustainability:AIasatoolforenvironmental51

awareness

1.AI-poweredartisticprojectsraisingclimateawareness51

2.Optimizingenergymanagementinculturalinstitutions52

C.Conclusions53

References54

VII.ENDANGEREDHERITAGEANDAI:TOOLSFORSAFEGUARDINGAND56

RESILIENCE

A.DigitalHeritage:AIfortheProtectionandConservationofCultural56

Heritage

1.RestorationandDigitalReconstruction:RevivingCulturalObjects56

withAI

B.CombatingIllicitTraffickingofCulturalProperty57

1.BlockchainandCulturalAuthenticity:ComplementaryRolesofAI58

C.DigitizationandSafeguarding:ProtectingCulturalHeritageatRisk58

1.InternationalProtocolsforDigitizationinCrisisSituations58

2.3DDocumentationandDamageAssessment:AIforEmergency59

ConservationPlanning

3.PossibleRisksofAIMisuseinCulturalHeritageContexts59

4.AIforaFasterPost-DisasterResponse:Prioritizing,Acting,60

Planning

D.PreservingLanguagesandAncestralKnowledge:AIandOralTraditions61

1.AILinguisticModelsforEndangeredLanguages61

2.SupportingLocalCommunitieswithAI61

3.ImmersiveStorytellingandCommunityNarratives62

E.Conclusions62

References63

VIII.AI,FREEDOMANDCULTURALSOVEREIGNTY65

A.EmpowermentvsControl66

B.AlgorithmicPowerandSovereignty67

C.AIMonopoliesandtheCrisisofCulturalInfrastructure68

D.Conclusions69

References70

CONCLUSIONS71

BIOSOFEXPERTGROUPMEMBERS73

FIGURES32

Figure1.Theculturalvaluechaininthedigitalenvironment:froma‘pipeline’configurationtoanetworkmodel

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7

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

TheIndependentExpertGrouponArtificialIntelligenceandCulture(CULTAI),convenedbyUNESCO,wishestoexpressitsgratitudefortheopportunitytoworktogetherinpreparingthisreport.Theprocesswasacollectiveendeavour,shapedbythediverseexperiences,perspectivesanddisciplinaryapproachesofthemembers.

Participatingintheirpersonalcapacity,eachofthetenexpertsandtwoyouthrepresentativesbroughtuniqueinsights,anditwasthroughdialogue,exchangeandcollaborationthatthisdocumentcametofruition.

ThemembersoftheGroupwere:

?MercedezBunz

?BrendanCiecko

?SalimDada

?KimJeongHan

?LethaboHuma

?JoeKallas

?OctavioKulesz

?RomanLipski

?RamonLópezdeMantaras

?AlejandraLópezGabrielidis

?OjomaOchai

?ShreyMaurya

TheGroupextendsitsspecialappreciationtoitsChair,SalimDada,whosethoughtfulguidanceanddedicationanchoredtheworkthroughouttheprocess.OnbehalfofUNESCO,theworkwascoordinatedbyAndreaDetmerLatorre.

Aboveall,theGrouphopesthatthereflectionspresentedherewillcontributetoadvancingculturalrights,diversityandsustainabilityintheageofartificialintelligence.

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9

EXECUTIVESUMMARY

TheIndependentExpertGrouponArtificialIntelligenceandCulture(CULTAI),convenedbyUNESCO,examinedhowAIisreshapingcreativity,heritageandculturalecosystemsworldwide.TheGroup’sanalysishighlightsanurgentreality:artificialintelligenceisadvancingfasterthanculturalgovernance,wideningdividesandraisingnewrisks,whilealsoofferingpowerfulopportunitiestoreinforceculturalinnovationandresilience.

AIisalreadytransforminghowcultureiscreated,sharedandpreserved.Itcanexpandaccess,safeguardheritage,amplifydiversevoicesandopennewcreativepossibilities.Atthesametime,itcandeepeninequalities,intensifybiases,accelerateculturalhomogenizationandincreaseenvironmentalcosts.

Thereportidentifiescorechallenges:

?Outpacingofgovernance,astheaccelerationofAIexceedsthecapacityofculturalecosystemstoadapt,threateningsovereignty,pluralismanddemocraticoversight;

?Reinforcementofbiasandhomogenization,asunbalancedtrainingdataandalgorithmicpersonalizationreproducestereotypesandfostermonocultures;

?Underminingofculturalrights,throughtheexploitationofunprotectedculturaldatawithoutconsent,attribution,orcompensationandthemarginalizationofminoritycultures;and

?Erosionofcreativityandskills,asoverrelianceonAIweakenshumancreativityandcognitivecapacities.

Italsohighlightsopportunities,notably:

?Expansionofcreativityandaccess,byloweringentrybarriersandenablingnewcreativeforms;

?Protectionofculturalheritage,throughrestoration,conservation,post-disasterresponseandthepreservationofendangeredlanguages;

?Strengtheningofculturalandcreativeindustries,asautomationofroutinetasksreducescostsandenhancesthecompetitivenessofsmallenterprises;and

?Advancementofequitablelearningopportunities,withmuseumsandculturalinstitutionscultivatingAIliteracy,creativityandcriticalreflection.

TheIndependentExpertGroupcallsforglobalcooperationandinclusivegovernancetoensurethatAIstrengthensculturaldiversity,equityandsustainability.Rights-basedapproachestoAI,greenpractices,faircreativeeconomiesandsustainableculturalfuturesmustplacehumancreativityandculturalrightsatthecentreoftechnologicaldevelopment.

CutureandArtfCantegence

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11

I.INTRODUCTION

Intoday’sfast-changingdigitallandscape,ArtificialIntelligence(AI)hasbecomeacriticalissueforculturalpolicyanddemandsurgent,coordinatedinternationalattention.AsAItoolsareintegratedintoculturalecosystems,theybringadualreality:ontheonehand,unprecedentedopportunitiesforcreativity,innovationandheritageprotection;ontheother,complexethicalandpracticalrisks.

Overjustafewyears,AIhasshownitsabilitytogenerateculturalcontent,lowerproductioncosts,reconstructfragmentedheritageandrevealcreativeprocessesotherwiseinaccessibletohumanperception.Yetthesesametechnologiesalsoriskreinforcingalgorithmicbias,obscuringculturaldistinctiveness,wideninginequalitiesandevenexacerbatinginjustice.

Thistension,betweenfascinationandmistrust,definesthechallengebeforeus.AInolongersimplyimitatesexistingworks;itcombinesandinterpretsthem,raisingpressingquestionsofauthorship,ownershipandculturaldispossession.HowdoweensureAIenricheshumancreativityinsteadofhomogenisingit?Howcanwefosterinnovationwhileprotectingculturaldiversityandidentity?

ThisdualityoftechnologicalempowermentandpotentialculturalerosionisthecentralconcernofthisReport.GuidedbyUNESCO’shuman-centredvision,itrespondstothecalloftheUNESCOWorldConferenceonCulturalPoliciesandSustainableDevelopment2025(MONDIACULT2025)forinternationalframeworksthatharnessAI’spotentialwhilesafeguardingculturalrights,diversityandsovereignty.

TheReportoftheIndependentExpertGrouponAIandCulture(CULTAI-M25)formspartofthepreparatoryworkforMONDIACULT2025,tobeheldinBarcelonafrom29Septemberto1October2025.TheconferencewillbringtogetherallUNESCOMemberStatestoshapefutureglobalculturalpolicies.Withinthis,the

themeofArtificialIntelligenceandCultureaddressesthreeurgent,convergingchallenges:

1.TherapidaccelerationofAIthatistransformingculturalecosystems,

2.Persistentdigitaldividesbetweenregionsandcommunities,and

3.Escalatingethicalrisks,fromdeepfakestosystemicbias.

Meetingthisurgencyrequiresaclearstrategybuiltaroundthreeimperatives:

1.FrameAIgovernancetoupholdhumancreativityandintegrity.

2.LeverageAItoamplifyculturaldiversityandpluralism.

3.Protectheritageandvulnerablecommunitiesfromharmfulimpacts.

Toinformthisagenda,UNESCOmandatedCULTAI-M25topreparethisReport.TheGroupbroughttogetherteninternationalexpertsandtwoyouthrepresentatives,includingculturalpractitioners,researchers,artistsandentrepreneurs.Itsworkcombinedtwoperspectives:analysingAI’simpactonculturalpracticesanddevelopingactionablepolicyideasbasedoninnovativepracticesandreal-worldexamples.

TheReportisstructuredintoseventhematicsections,offeringaglobal,multidisciplinaryperspective:

?EthicallandscapeofAIinculture

?Culturalrightsinthedigitalage

?AIandculturalvaluechainsinthecreativeeconomy

?AIandculturaleducation

?Culture,climateandenvironmentalsustainability

?HeritageatriskandAI

?AI,freedomandsovereignty

ThisReportreflectsbothacademicresearchandpracticalexperienceandisgroundedinUNESCO’sevolvingnormativeecosystem.

KeyreferencesincludetheConventionontheProtectionandPromotionoftheDiversityofCulturalExpressions(2005)anditsOperationalGuidelinesfortheDigitalEnvironment(2017),theMontrealDeclarationforResponsibleDevelopmentofArtificialIntelligence(2018),theGlobalReportsofthe2005Convention(2018and2022),theRecommendationsontheEthicsofArtificialIntelligence(2021)andtheRecommendationsoftheReflectionGroupontheDiversityofCulturalExpressionsintheDigitalEnvironment(2024).

TheCULTAI-M25Reportembodiesaninclusive,forward-lookingapproach.Itaimstoraiseawareness,inspirepolicydialogueandencourageconcretecommitmentsatMONDIACULT2025,guidedbyasimpleprinciple:technologymustservehumanity,notthereverse.

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II.MAPPINGTHEETHICAL

LANDSCAPEOFAIINCULTURE

A

AI,a

Double-edgedTool:Opportunities

andChallengesforCulture

Thecloseinterplaybetweenartificialintelligence(AI)andcultureisbynomeansarecentphenomenon.Foryears,AItechnologieshavebeenemployedintheculturalsectorforpurposessuchasalgorithmiccontentrecommendation,automatedtranscriptionofaudiofilesandbehaviouralanalysistopersonalizeexperiences.However,thetransformativeturningpointhasbeentheemergenceofgenerativeAI,notablymarkedbythelaunchofChatGPTinlate2022.ThistypeofAIenablesthecreationofdiverseculturalexpressionsofthehighesttechnicalquality,thankstoincreasinglyefficientmodelstrainedonvastdatabasescomposedoftexts,images,videosandsongs,amongothermedia.

1.OPPORTUNITIES

ItisimportanttonotethatAI,inbothitsgenerativeandnon-generativeforms,presentssignificantopportunitiesfortheculturalspherebutalsoconsiderablechallenges.

Amongtheadvantages,AIcanenhancethecreativepotentialforartistsinaphenomenoncommonlyreferredtoasthe‘a(chǎn)ugmentedartist’(Edwards,2023),whereAItoolsextendanartist’scapabilitiesbyenablingnewformsofexpression,ideagenerationandacceleratedcreativeprocesses.Italsolowersentrybarriersforcreation,allowingindividualswithoutspecializedtraininginaparticularartisticdisciplinetoproduceartworks.Forinstance,auserwithnobackgroundinmusicarrangementcancomposeasonginanygenreusingapplicationslikeUdio,Sunoandmanyothers.

Additionally,AIcanfosterinterdisciplinarycollaboration,connectingtheculturalsectorwithtechnologystakeholders,whichcanleadtonewformsofcreationandexperimentation.Moreover,theintersectionoftechnologyandculturegeneratesspecializedroles,creatingnewjobopportunities.Intheculturalandcreativeindustries,AIstreamlinesprocesses

thatpreviouslyrequiredsignificanttimeandresources,acrossawiderangeofsectors.Forexample,anindependentstudioworkinginfilmorpost-productioncannowautomatevideoeditingthroughAI,withcuts,transitionsandevensounddesignadjustedinminutes.ThisundeniableboostinproductivitybenefitsnotonlymajorplayersbutespeciallyculturalSmallandMediumSizeEnterprises(SMEs),whichcannowcompeteintermsofspeedandqualitywithmoreestablishedcompanies.

Furthermore,AIcancontributetothefieldofculturalheritage,bothtangibleandintangible,throughdigitalpreservation,virtualreconstruction,dataanalysis,aswellasthetranscriptionanddocumentationofendangeredoraltraditionsandperformancepractices.Italsoplaysanemergingroleintheprotectionofheritageunderemergencyconditions—suchaspost-conflictorfollowingnaturaldisasters—byenablingrapidassessmentandinformedrecoveryefforts(seeSectionVI).Anothersignificantbenefitistheexpandedaccesstocultureforthepublic,astheuseofAIinculturalcreationresultsinanabundantculturaloffering.

2.CHALLENGES1

However,thechallengesarealsonumerous.Amajorconcernistheskillsgap:manytraditionalartistsstruggletoadapttoanAI-drivenenvironmentduetolimitedtechnicaltraining.Jobdisplacementispartlylinkedtothepreviousissue,asautomatingcreativetaskscouldthreatentraditionalartisticjobs,includingmusicians,translators,proofreaders,illustratorsanddesigners,amongmanyothers.Accordingtoareportreleasedinlate2024,musicsectorworkerscouldlosenearly25%oftheirincometogenerativeAIby2028,whilethoseintheaudiovisualsectormayfacea20%drop(CISAC,2024).Economicconcentrationposesariskaswell,giventhatthedominanceoflargetechplatformsmayleadtodependencyforsmallerculturalactors.Indeed,developingandtrainingtheirownmodelsisoftenbeyondthetechnicalandfinancialreachoflessresourcedplayers,notonlyduetothecomplexityoftheprocessbutalsobecauseaccesstohigh-qualitydatasetsremainslimited.

Moreover,cultural,linguisticandgenderbiasespresentintrainingdatacanbetransferredtoartisticcreationsandculturalheritagepreservation,perpetuatingstereotypesandinequalities.Intellectualpropertyissuesarealsoprominent,asmostofthegenerativeAItools

currentlyavailableonthemarkethaveusedcopyrightedcontentwithoutauthorizationtotraintheirmodels.Partlylinkedtothisistheriskofculturalappropriationoflocalexpressionsbymajortechnologyfirms,causingdecontextualizationandmisrepresentation,particularlywhenAIsystemsdrawonmaterialfromindigenousormarginalizedcommunities.

Additionally,personalizedAI-drivencreationmayleadtoculturalatomization,exacerbatingdynamicssimilartoalgorithmicfilterbubblesbygeneratingnew,highlyindividualizedcontent,thusfurtherweakeningsocialcohesion.AnotherchallengeisNorth-Southinequality:thelackoftechnologicalresourcesandtheconcentrationofAIcentresintheGlobalNorthrisksacceleratingthemigrationofworkersintheculturalandcreativeindustriestowardemploymentintheGlobalNorth,exacerbatingthedigitalandcreativegap.

Finally,universalaccesstocultureisatrisk,asunequalcontroloverAItoolsandplatformscombineswithdisparitiesindigitaltechnologies,skillsandknowledge,restrictingparticipationtothosewiththenecessaryresourcesandcapabilitiesandunderminingtheprincipleofcultureasaglobalpublicgood.

B

OverviewofkeyUNESCOandUNinitiatives

attheintersectionofAIandCulture

TheethicaldimensionofAIhasgainedgrowingattentionsincethesecondhalfofthe2010s.Numerousdeclarations,ethicalframeworksandnormativeinstruments,atnationalandmultilaterallevelshavesoughttoguideitsresponsibledevelopment.

EarlymilestonesincludetheMontrealDeclarationforaResponsibleDevelopmentofArtificialIntelligence,draftedin2017,whichexplicitlyemphasizedthenecessityofsafeguardingculturaldiversityandpreventingsocietalhomogenization(MontrealDeclaration,2018).

UNESCO’sactiveinvolvementintheAIdialogue,groundedinaculturalperspective,hasamplifiedtheissue’sprominenceonaninternationalscale.Inthesecond2005ConventionGlobalReport

1Theterm“challenges”hereencompassesboththebarriersthathindertheabilitytoseizetheopportunitiesaswellasthenewthreatsemergingfromtheevolvingtechnologicallandscape.

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Re|shapingCulturalPolicies,publishedatthe