Following feedback on our AI-aided creative course for young people, we will be hosting a conversation with creatives, technologists and young people to better understand our approach and offer a platform for discussion. 

The effect of Artificial Intelligence on the creative industries is something we should all be talking about. It is an area of grave concern for many and an area of great opportunity for others. It is potentially an incredibly useful tool to support people to access creativity in new ways, especially individuals with access needs. Whatever the future of this technology, it is and will continue to impact our work and lives. It was in this spirit of exploration that we embarked on programming our Creating Graphic Novels with AI course. 

We are not specialists in AI, so we have worked with experts in that field to design the course content. We acknowledge however that we have not been robust enough in our scrutiny of the software used, nor in the intended application of this technology. We also realise that we have not engaged significantly enough with the comic and graphic novel community. The historic challenges artists working in this sector have experienced and continue to experience in terms of the exploitation of their work should have been better considered. 

We are therefore going to cancel next month’s course and host a conversation that will seek to bring together creatives, technologists and young people to consider what the future might hold. 

If you are interested in being part of this event, please email artists@wmc.org.uk and we will make sure you are included on the invite list.