17/03/2026
Art and technology have always been intertwined. The printing press, the camera, and the streaming service each opened new worlds for artists and audiences alike.
But today, with generative AI compressing that cycle of change to an unprecedented speed, we may be at the brink of the greatest revolution yet.
What does this brave new world mean for the artist, for culture, and for a city whose creative economy generates £86 billion in GVA for the UK?
On a lively Tuesday evening, the Knowledge Quarter and The London Society explored this question at the first event in our new Future London series.
The concerns raised by the panel were urgent and unresolved. Central was the copyright crisis: creators are losing work because generative AI models have been trained on their output without permission or compensation. Entry-level jobs are disappearing. The talent pipeline that nurtures the next generation of artists is under threat.
Yet the panel resisted a purely pessimistic reading. Live events continue to thrive. Museum footfall is growing, thanks to more personalised experiences. Barriers to creative production are coming down, and art that was once niche is reaching mass audiences. Many great opportunities are emerging from new technology, but integrity, authorship and fair compensation must be honoured.
Reflecting on what 2035 might look like, the panel closed on a note of cautious optimism. Artists have always adapted. The printing press, the camera, and the streaming service each threatened to end something and also ended up creating something new and amazing.
The questions we’re left with: will AI go the same way? And what can we do now to ensure it does?
A huge thank you to our speakers Mark Farid (), Dan Patton (), Deborah Annetts () and Léllé Demertzi (), and to Michael John Harris () for moderating such a thought-provoking conversation.
👉 Future London continues 24 March with our second event on emerging technologies & sustainability, sign up via link in bio!
This post was written with generative AI support.
