A new artist-in-residence program at the Calgary Public Library sparked discussion among local creatives around how artificial intelligence should be used in their artistic processes.
The library’s “Creative Artist in Residence – AI Collaborative Artist” program is inviting a local artist to explore the role of AI in a creative space. This initiative aims to create conversations about how technology shapes art, authorship and ethics.
“As AI becomes more prevalent in our community, there is a public need to help Calgarians navigate the opportunities and challenges it presents,” the library said in a statement.
The residency is open to artists in any discipline who want to explore how AI merges with art while using technology responsibly and ethically.
The library added that they remain committed to supporting creativity, intellectual freedom and shared learning.
Artists question AI’s role in creative work
The announcement received mixed reactions from local artists.
For Calgary artist Moses Aquino, who goes by the name Moey Blanco, the program raised questions about how much AI should be involved in creative work.
“My first thought was wondering about the extent of what it means to be an AI artist,” Aquino said. “How much of AI is part of an artist’s life?”
While he believes there is a place for AI on the administrative side of creative work, he draws the line between using it as a tool and using it to generate the art itself.
“AI has pros in the business side of art: things like logistics or writing emails,” he said. “But creativity-wise, I feel like it doesn’t really have a place in actually creating artwork.”
Aquino said many artists view their work as deeply tied to their identity, which heightens emotions around the debate of AI.
“This isn’t just a job for a lot of people,” he said. “It’s a big part of artists’ identity.”
Ethical, labour and environmental concerns
Other artists are approaching the technology with caution rather than rejecting the idea entirely.
Uchechukwu Peter Umezurike, an assistant professor in the Department of English at the University of Calgary, said he has intentionally avoided using AI in his creative work while continuing to consider its broader implications.
“I’ve been reluctant because I’m still thinking about questions around ethics, politics and humanity,” Umezurike said.
The writer, whose new poetry collection will be released next month, said he still relies on traditional creative collaboration with fellow poets and editors.
But he said AI also raises concerns about employment in the creative industries.
“If a creative writer starts using AI for editing for copy editing, then you’re displacing people who have trained and built their careers as editors,” he said.
Umezurike said environmental impacts linked to AI infrastructure are another concern.
The large computing systems that power artificial intelligence rely on a significant amount of electricity and water to operate, and cool data centres, and global electricity use from these facilities is projected to more than double by 2030, according to the International Energy Agency.
Artificial intelligence also raises questions about authorship and ownership in creative work, Umezurike said.
“If one uses AI to produce a poem or a short story, who is actually the creator?” he said. “Who is the artist? Who is the producer?”
Community discussion continues at ArtistSpeak event
Those questions are expected to be part of a discussion on Thursday afternoon at ArtistSpeak – A.I., an event bringing together artists and community members to reflect on artificial intelligence.
The event will include discussion and collaborative activities about how artists are responding to AI as a creative and cultural tool. Topics will include authorship, labour and the evolving relationship between artists and technology.
For Umezurike, conversations like these are important as artists try to understand how emerging technologies may reshape creative fields.
“I’m struggling with these questions myself,” he said. “And I hope people will also struggle with them and think more closely and compassionately about how we engage with AI in an ethical way.”