Barcelona, June 19, 2023 – Last Wednesday, over sixty professionals from the audiovisual industry, political representatives, ethicists, lawyers, and individuals from AI generative companies (text-to-image) gathered at the ARSENAL venue, on the Poblenou campus, to participate in the FAIR. The event, organized by the Futures of Communication Chair in collaboration with the Audiovisual Cluster of Catalonia, provided a unique platform to discuss the future of AI-driven audiovisual creation.

The day, held within the framework of the first European film festival made with artificial intelligence, the +RAIN Film Fest, began with a standing lunch where attendees had the opportunity to establish initial connections. Shortly after, the meeting was moved to the newly inaugurated ARSENAL space, where eight working tables were set up to discuss and compile a prospectus on the future of the audiovisual sector, creativity, and the ethical and legal challenges to come. Each of these tables consisted of eight people, combining professionals from the industry, political representatives, ethic experts, lawyers, creatives, as well as individuals who develop or work directly with AI software.

The event was inaugurated by Jordi Balló, director of the Futures of Communication Chair, and Teresa Roig, from UPF Ventures and director, along with Balló, of the FAIR. In their speeches, Balló and Roig highlighted the importance of this event in creating a space for reflection and collaboration among professionals and experts in the audiovisual and AI sectors, as well as the uniqueness of the Futurs de la Comunicació Chair, which aims to become a central figure in prospective debates..

These multidisciplinary tables debated for an hour and a half on three customized topics based on the attendees' profiles. The discussions addressed subjects such as the use of AI for automatic image generation, its influence on audiovisual storytelling, the ethical and legal implications of its implementation, sector transition and more efficient investments in the context of AI, the importance of open-source codes and democratization of creation, the emergence of the curator figure as a crucial aspect of the creative process, ethical codes, intellectual property, among many other topics. Table members contributed their specific perspectives and knowledge to explore the implications and opportunities of AI in the audiovisual context, from a prospective standpoint, with the aim of shaping a future and a rich ecosystem for the audiovisual and media industry.

These tables, in addition to being personalized and carefully curated, were named after key figures in the development of AI, signifying the importance of the debate: Ada Lovelace, a pioneer in computational thinking; Maya Meren, a prominent expert in AI and artistic creation; Isaac Asimov, a renowned science fiction author; Sonia Kovalevskaia, a pioneering mathematician; Stanley Kubrick, a film director recognized for his interest in the human implications of technology; Alan Turing, a mathematician and cryptographer; Ramon Llull, a medieval philosopher and theologian who explored topics related to logic and computation; and Hedy Lamarr, an actress and inventor who patented a communication system.

During the hour of debate, moderated at each table by a person of recognized trajectory, notes were taken on the main ideas with the aim of composing a final report that captures the prospective ideas, in synergy, from all the invited individuals. This report, to be published in July, will become foundational in assessing the state and projections of the audiovisual sector.

At the closing of the FAIR, led by Bertran Salvador, coordinator of the Futures of Communication Chair, some initial aggregated conclusions from all the tables were shared with the attendees, reflecting on the most relevant and debate-generating ideas discussed.

With the FAIR, the Futures of Communication Chair  and the Audiovisual Cluster of Catalonia have emphasized their commitment to promoting innovation and reflection on the future of creativity and ethics in an increasingly AI-influenced world. This event has established itself as a unique gathering for all those interested in the development and impact of emerging technologies in the audiovisual sector, serving as a meeting point for knowledge generation and collaboration among professionals and experts from various fields, highlighting the central role of the Futures of Communication Chair in the study of the future of the sector and communication.