Toi Ōtautahi AI and the Arts Symposium

Saturday 14 November

1.30pm-4.30pm

Tūranga, TSB Space (1st Floor)

Free to attend - register by booking a free ticket through this Humanitix page

As AI tools become increasingly used within and to replicate human creativity, artists are being forced to navigate new territory: from questions of authorship, originality and copyright, to concerns around cultural identity and the future of human creativity itself.

Bringing together artists, researchers and industry experts, this half-day symposium examines both the practical uses of AI and the risks it poses, creating space for both curiosity and critical discussion. Through presentations, discussion and debate, participants will explore how creatives might engage with these technologies in ethical and informed ways, as well as protecting their work, artistic integrity, cultural knowledge and the human imagination.

INTRODUCTION (1.30pm)

Ben Brown, Poet – I Am Not a Robot

A poetic perspective on what it is to be human in the age of AI.

AI AND CREATIVITY (1.45pm)

Hori-Te-Ariki Mataki, Ariki Creative – AI in a Contemporary Māori Creative Practice

Demonstrating practical uses of AI in Māori design practice, balancing new technologies with cultural integrity and human expertise.

Dr Claire Benedict, University of Canterbury – From Feedback to Authorship: AI, Collaboration and Creative Agency in Music Production

How generative AI is reshaping ideas of authorship, creative agency and collaboration in music production.

Rachael Hurren, Human Logic – The Cost of Convenience: AI and the Creative Brain

A neuroscience-backed look at the creative process and how AI is reshaping it – for better and for worse.

AI RISKS & PROTECTION (3pm)

Emma Humphrey, AI Safety Australia & New Zealand – AI Mythbusting

Cutting through AI hype to explain how AI works, common misconceptions, and practical approaches to staying safe.

Dr Karaitiana Taiuru, Taiuru & Associates – Whakapapa Before Prompts: A Māori Data Sovereignty Kit for Artists in the Age of AI

Considering authority, accountability and cultural protection when AI engages with Māori knowledge, identities and creative works.

Sam Irvine, Tāwhia Copyright Aotearoa

The latest legal developments in copyright, licensing and creator recognition in a future increasingly shaped by AI systems.

Full details will are available here