Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence

Inaugural AI and the Creative Industries festival

The UK government has recently launched a consultation on the immediate need for governance and policy-making in AI usage within the creative industries, covering areas such as LLM training and the ethics of creativity and human-machine learning. Creative exports account for over 14% of all UK exports, presenting a unique opportunity for the University of Exeter to address this market need. 

The Southwest region is an ideal testbed for AI-related creative industry initiatives, given Exeter's status as a UNESCO City of Literature and the University's emerging corporate partnerships with creative leaders. These organisations are actively seeking guidance and collaboration in this rapidly evolving field.

This 2-day festival on 24-25 June will celebrate and query the opportunities and challenges for AI and the Creative Industries.

Programme

  • 0930 - Opening by VC Lisa Roberts
  • 1025 - Key Note
    • Jocelyn Burnham (AI for Culture) - a leading advisor to the UK culture and heritage sector on AI, discusses how she uses playfulness as a provocation
  • 1045 - AI, Film + Screen Production and Distribution 
    • Jezz Vernon, Hertzian (David Dixon) and Digital Catapult (David Johnston) and The AI Filmmaker (Stephanie Ronan-Chlond)
  • 1130 - AI, visual art, experimentalism and speculations -
    • Dr Amy Cutler, Dr Joseph Crawford, Jake Shaw (Obsolete)
  • 1200 - Key Note
    • Moya Brannan (IBM) - a distinguished technology leader, innovator, and Executive Architect at IBM, known for her strategic mindset and passion for solving complex challenges, delivers an InstructLab – a new methodology for tuning large language models (LLMs)
  • 1330 - AI, Creative Authorship and Originality - Prof Stephanie Owens (AUP), Prof Gabriella Giannachi, and Emilie Fontaine (CoboCreative/Peelback.AI)
  • 1400 - Key Note
    • Prof Tony Prescott (University of Sheffield), a Professor of Cognitive Robotics at the University of Sheffield who develops AIs and robots that resemble animals including humans, discusses Intelligence and Creativity in Minds and Machines.
  • 1430 - GLAM, Heritage and Visitor Experiences,
    • Prof Fabrizio Nevola, John Glancy (National Trust) and Jo Reid (Calvium)
  • 1500 - Screening of Data Shadows
  • 1530 - Ethics, data and bias - Prof Suchith Anand, Prof Kate Bailey (Ethical Data Initiative), Dr Brett Zehner (Critical AI Centre), Dr Luke Grassman (IBM) and filmmaker Jacob Van Der Beugel
  • 1600 - AI and Creative Industries, Regional Growth - Dom Jinks, Dan Pritchard (TechSW), Lucy Bennett (Barclays Eagle Labs) and Alistair Banks (Optix Solutions)
  • 1630 - Closing and drinks reception

Join us for a day-long workshop in active network building, collective dreaming and creative prototyping as we reflect on some exciting ideas bubbling up from Day 1 and begin to sow seeds for future projects and collaborations.</p?

Focussing on noticing, experimenting and sense-making, our facilitators will be weaving in aspects of their knowledge in transdisciplinary co-production, design thinking, playful innovation and narrative design. Expect hands-on activities and lots of opportunities to connect with delegates.

  • 0930 - Arrivals and provocative statement from Jack Rodger (IBM).
  • 1000 - Design thinking sessions facilitated by Fiona Rourke (Creative Quadrant), Dr Rob Sherman and Kerry Deacon (Global Classrooms).
  • 1230 - Lunch
  • 1700 - End

Co-hosted by the Director of the Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (IDSAI), the Director of the Centre for Technology and Intermedia, and Exeter Innovation.

Headshot of Gabriella Giannachil against grey background.

Professor Gabriella Giannachi

Director of the Centre for Technology and Intermedia, and Exeter Innovation

Professor Aline Villavicencio 

Director of the Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (IDSAI)

Creative Economy, Exeter Innovation, harnesses the world leading research and education of the University of Exeter, positively impacting partnerships with business and organisations to power transformative innovation, making a difference to our partners, communities and the world around us. To achieve our ambitious goal of an extra £50 billion a year and one million jobs by 2030, the sector must address significant challenges in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and skills development, environmental sustainability and creative technologies' ethical and regulatory implications. We blend traditional arts and humanities research with social, data, and environmental sciences. Partnering with arts organisations, policymakers, and creative industries SMEs, we drive impactful programmes. These initiatives amplify the sector's sustainable economic and social value  across the region, the UK and internationally. We work with over 25 partners, including Google Arts and Culture, the Tate, Tech Exeter and the South West Heritage Trust.

Funded by Project ADA, £50M investment in the development of the University’s Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities.

Any queries please contact Alice Foulkes.