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Arts & Communication Digital AI transformation of the Chinese art industry

capacity, and restructure work processes. The integration Much of the discourse on digital transition in the art
7,8
of digiAI in contemporary art is evident in the creation sector has focused on the digitization of cultural heritage
process of artworks, the totalizing nature of digital and museums; 22,23 technological affordances of virtual
9,10
work for artists, given that they are always working due reality and augmented reality and the use of games for
to promotion, sharing, and selling their work on social presenting digital culture; 24,25 separate analyses of AI
media, 11-13 and digitization of art markets. 14,15 and digital technologies, 20,24 macro-level industry and
26
This digital transformation involves restructuring economic developments; and analyses of changes within
5-7
practices and production processes, with the introduction the industry. This study provides a humanistic analysis
of non-human agents in the creative process. These of the contemporary art industry within a predominantly
changes emphasize dialog, iterative communication, techno-deterministic discussion, emphasizing the broader
prompting, and collaboration with nonhuman agents. societal context. When examining the digital transition
DigiAI is changing how art and exhibitions are produced, in the contemporary art industry and the potential for
as well as how artists and arts professionals work. AI integrating digiAI, it is essential to understand how
provides artists with accuracy in tasks like coding and broader societal factors contribute to creating a conducive
creating text or scripts. Artists feel more powerful when environment for widespread integration, adoption, and
using digital software and AI programs because they have acceptance. Furthermore, professional use of digiAI must
a digital team with them to perform tasks quicker and be discussed and analyzed as digiAI is being increasingly
more accurately. 16,17 Hisrich and Soltanifar argued that used for creating artworks and exhibitions.
18
pervasive digitization generates new opportunities while This research draws on 30 interviews with contemporary
transforming how ideas are developed and how creative Chinese visual artists, 23 interviews with arts professionals
tools are applied. In response, recent discussions have from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, a survey of 110
focused on the relationship between artists and digital professional contemporary visual artists, and a systematic
technologies, particularly concerning human creativity. 19,20 review of Chinese government policies. This research,
The pace and breadth of digiAI integration into the conducted between 2023 and 2024, addresses the following
contemporary art industry in China are distinctive. China questions: (1) How has digiAI been integrated into the
has taken a unique path in digital transition compared contemporary art industry at the national level? (2) How
with other countries, having already established industry has digiAI been adopted and accepted by artists and arts
5.0 and begun work on 6G internet. These rapid digital professionals? The overarching aim is to assess the extent to
developments are driven by government policies and which digiAI can be integrated while maintaining human
regulations that promote the use of digiAI among creativity and innovation and explore the development
individuals and organizations. Over the past 30 years, potential of digital transformation.
the contemporary art industry in China has experienced
rapid change, with its development intertwined with This study presents Western and Chinese perspectives
societal and policy contexts. A driver of change was, on the digiAI transition in China’s contemporary art
1
as De Nigris argues, governmental push for cultural industry. It highlights the optimistic embracing attitudes
21
institutions to assume greater financial responsibilities and of Chinese artists and arts professionals toward digiAI and
to directly respond to market demands. Similarly, today’s contributes to ongoing discussions about the relationship
21
digital transition in the art industry is interconnected between human creativity and these technologies in the
with sociocultural, technological, political, and economic arts. This study addresses how digiAI can be integrated
factors. into the contemporary art industry to enhance rather
than hinder professionals’ creativity. It elucidates
the nature of the current digiAI transition in China’s
1 The most important societal change that initiated the launch contemporary art industry, which is important given the
of the contemporary art industry was the rapid economic limited understanding of how policies and widespread
development in the 1990s. This was a time when capitalist technological integration affect professionals’ adoption
joint ventures and private companies developed and and acceptance of digiAI, as well as the resulting digital
subsequently became level with state-owned enterprises, creation processes. While concerns exist about the potential
leading to social and economic reform. Another key change
in the history of the contemporary art industry was the of digiAI to undermine human creativity, more discussion
introduction of a two-strand structure of state-owned and is required on how these tools can foster the development
private companies working alongside each other, filtered of the contemporary art industry from the perspectives of
into the contemporary art world, which allowed it to become artists and art professionals. This new knowledge can serve
an economic, commercial industry. as a guide for professionals in contemporary art industries

Volume 3 Issue 2 (2025) 2 doi: 10.36922/ac.3822