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Ethics of AI in Creative Practice - TFT00118M

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  • Department: Theatre, Film, Television and Interactive Media
  • Module co-ordinator: Prof. Marian Ursu
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: M
  • Academic year of delivery: 2023-24

Module summary

This module introduces a range of ethical issues that result from the employment of AI in interactive media with the end users as well as creative practice, including aspects of unwanted bias, discrimination and harm that can emerge from autonomous or algorithmic media, possible malicious uses of autonomous media for surveillance and manipulation, generation of believable fakes, aspects related to intellectual property when the creative process is shared between humans and machines, and decision making when machines are endowed with some degree of authority.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 1 2023-24

Module aims

  • to provide a solid foundation for the responsible use of AI in interactive media (at the interface with the end users) and creative practice (at the interface with the creative practitioners)

  • to present aspects of bias, discrimination and harm that can emerge from autonomous or algorithmic media – i.e. media objects endowed with artificial intelligence – in particular in instances when the behaviour of autonomous media is deeply buried in algorithms and cannot be easily discovered

  • to uncover possible malicious uses of autonomous media for surveillance and manipulation, particularly through the use of data traces from users

  • to expose the potential of AI to generate believable fakes

  • to discuss aspects related to intellectual property when the creative process is shared between humans and machines – human AI co-creativity and computational creativity

  • to discuss aspects to decision making (e.g. responsibility and transparency) when some authority is delegated to the AI

  • to provide links between core ethical issues and their representation in regulatory frameworks

Module learning outcomes

  • inform critical debates regarding the use of AI in creative practice and autonomous media with specialist knowledge

  • identify and critically assess elements of (unwanted) algorithmic bias and discrimination embedded in specific autonomous media or in particular creative workflows

  • identify and expose malicious uses of autonomous media for surveillance and manipulation in which fakes could be identified as well as ways in which the use of fakes could be undermined

  • analyse aspects related to intellectual property when the creative process is shared between humans and AI

  • analyse aspects related to decision making (responsibility, transparency) when some authority is delegated to the AI

  • identify shortcomings of and suggest amendments to existing regulatory frameworks which govern the production and use of autonomous media

Assessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Essay		 N/A 100

Special assessment rules

None

Reassessment

None

Module feedback

You will receive written feedback/mark in line with standard University turnaround times.

Indicative reading

Mark Coeckelbergh, Liam Gerrard, Gildan Media. AI Ethics: MIT Press Essential Knowledge Series. Gildan Media. 2020.

Steven Shwartz, Jason Keller. Evil Robots, Killer Computers, and Other Myths: The Truth About AI and the Future of Humanity. Steven Shwarz. 2021.

Articles from the AI and Ethics journal. Editors in Chief John MacIntyre, Larry Medsker. Springer.


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University is constantly exploring ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary by the University. Where appropriate, the University will notify and consult with affected students in advance about any changes that are required in line with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.