CRAIONS Research Warns AI Could Repeat Digital Era's Value Capture of Culture

According to ArtsJournal's diacritical, a significant transformation is underway with AI, echoing the changes brought by the digital revolution 25 years ago in how culture is discovered and valued. The analysis suggests that the true shift during the internet age was the focus on attention, now termed "content," rather than the work itself. This shift has diminished the role of traditional gatekeepers as traffic has overtaken intrinsic value. With AI producing extensive content, concerns arise regarding findability and the movement of value. Research from CRAIONS indicates that the current environment is influenced by licensing agreements between media organizations and AI companies, raising doubts about whether the cultural sector has learned from previous lessons on value capture.