[Konst]^X - En kvalitativ undersökning av kuratorers upplevelser av AI-konstens första möte med konstsverige

Sammanfattning: This dissertation intends to examine how the Swedish art world is responding to the exposure of artwork which has been produced using artificial intelligence as a tool. Based on qualitative interviews with curators, who have developed and formed exhibitions of AI-art, this study aims to investigate if an acceptance of such art could occur. In 2019 two of Sweden’s most reputable art institutions, Fotografiska and Tekniska Museet, introduced artificial intelligence to their galleries for the first time, followed by Moderna Museet in 2020. These exhibitions will be used in this thesis to examine the field and exemplify what can be done with AI-techniques in the creation of art. This study is conducted through a cultural science perspective and to place the topic into a context of an art perception, Howard S. Becker’s theory of art as a social process has primarily been used. In addition to that, Walter Benjamin’s theory about the interaction between art and technology has been used to examine the art-tech fusion that characterizes the field of AI-art, with Pierre Levy’s theory of collective intelligence and Robert Willim’s work about mundanisation all being essential for the analysis. In the final discussion with all parts summarized, the findings reveal that there is a vital lack of technical knowledge that permeates the field of AI-art. Since technology is now such a major part of modern life, and the art-tech fusion is ever-increasing in prominence, the uncertainties of this union demand to be clarified. Therefore, it is argued that the lack of knowledge is the most crucial barrier that AI-art faces, in order to be accepted into the Swedish art world, along with all those involved in the production of such art.