Artificial Creativity in Theory and Practice

Overview

What is creativity and how does artificial intelligence influence it across different domains such as the arts, sciences, and business? This two day conference at the University of Lisbon explores the relationship between AI and creativity, examining both theoretical questions and practical implications for creative work. The event gathers philosophers, designers, and researchers to discuss agency, authorship, and authenticity in the age of generative AI, while also showcasing how AI is reshaping creative practice in real world contexts. The program considers social, ethical, and political implications, asking how artists and creative professionals are using AI tools, and what governance and policy considerations are needed to sustain responsible innovation.

Venue and date

May 26–27, 2026, at the School of Arts and Humanities, University of Lisbon. The conference is hosted in Room B112.C and includes a mix of keynote talks, paper sessions, panel discussions, and an evening conference dinner. The venue is located in Lisbon, Portugal. Registration is available via an online form linked on the event page.

Format

The event uses a lecture and discussion format with plenary keynotes and multiple sessions featuring researchers from CFUL and partner institutions. Topics cover theoretical analyses of AI and creativity, investigations of authenticity and authorship in AI mediated works, and case studies on AI in artistic practice. The program includes a dedicated session on immersive AI environments, archives and memory, and the social and ethical dimensions of AI in culture and industry.

Agenda highlights

• Day 1 (May 26): Registration, Welcome Address, Keynotes on From Poiesis to Praxis in AI and Creativity, sessions on AI and human control, and discussions on the future of cinema and creative practice. Afternoon sessions address memory, archives, and authentic co-creation, followed by informal drinks and a conference dinner.
• Day 2 (May 27): Morning coffee, a keynote on Generative AI Creativity and the Human Imagination, followed by sessions on authenticity, hybridity, and the reordering of freedom. Lunch breaks are interleaved with talks, and the day concludes with a visit to an automated art exhibition featuring Leonel Moura Lascaux 2.0 and a speaker talk by Leonel Moura.

Speakers

• Caterina Moruzzi (University of Edinburgh) – From Poiesis to Praxis in AI and Creativity. She explores agency, authorship, and authenticity, proposing praxis driven scholarship and a future agenda for responsible creative AI use.
• Robert W Clowes (NOVA University Lisbon, Ruhr University Bochum) – Generative AI Creativity and the Human Imagination. A discussion on how AI systems can support or constrain human creativity through interaction and constrained confabulation.
• Johannes Stelzer (Champalimaud Foundation) – From Lunar Ring to the Clinic: Immersive AI as a Therapeutic Environment. An account of immersive AI as a therapeutic medium in clinical settings.
• Paola Stellino (NOVA University Lisbon) – Tilly Norwood, AI actors, and the ethics and future of AI in cinema.
• Moirika Reker (CFUL) – Creativity, Prometheus and Orpheus in AI, and the ethical questions of AI as creative partner.
• Maile Costa Colbert (IFILNOVA) – Artificial Atmospheres: AI, Art, and the Activation of Archives. Archives, memory, and AI mediated creative processes.

Who should attend

Academics in philosophy of mind and technology, researchers in AI and creativity, artists and curators exploring AI in practice, and policy makers interested in the social implications of AI in culture. The program also invites participants involved in intermedia art, digital humanities, and design informatics to engage with the cross-disciplinary discussions on authentic creativity in the age of AI.

Venue details

The event takes place at the School of Arts and Humanities, University of Lisbon, in Lisbon, Portugal. The site provides directions to Room B112.C and information about nearby facilities and transport for attendees. Registration and program updates are posted on the event page, with a notice that the provisional program may be subject to minor changes prior to the conference week.