On March 27th 2025, WIDE ANDCO hosted a vibrant and engaging workshop at the Wecitizens office. The event brought together young creatives, educators, and curious minds for an afternoon of discovery, discussion, and experimentation around the evolving role of artificial intelligence in the creative sector.
A Space for Open Exploration
The session kicked off with a warm welcome and introduction to the goals of the A(i)RT Youth project, which aims to empower young people to critically engage with the intersection of AI and the arts. From there, participants dove into a hands-on exploration of generative AI tools — testing various prompts and comparing the outputs to their own creative expectations.
This playful but insightful exercise sparked lively debate:
- What makes art art when it’s machine-generated?
- Can AI truly “create” or is it just remixing?
- How can these tools support human creativity rather than replace it?
Ethics, Inspiration, and Future Visions
The afternoon was punctuated by dynamic group discussions that touched on both the possibilities and the limits of using AI in creative work. Participants shared thoughts on the ethical challenges these technologies pose — from authorship and originality to the implications of data-driven aesthetics.
We also took time to discover the work of several artists using AI in a contemporary way, reflecting on the diversity of approaches and the new visual languages being developed through machine collaboration. These examples helped frame AI not as a replacement for the artist, but as a new medium with its own set of questions and potentials.
Takeaways and Next Steps
What stood out from the event was the enthusiasm to continue learning — and the hunger for more spaces that combine technical experimentation with critical dialogue. Participants appreciated the opportunity to test tools hands-on while also debating deeper themes of ownership, expression, and identity in digital creation.
This local event was not just about using new tools, but about imagining new ways of thinking, creating, and collaborating in a world increasingly shaped by AI.
