Two Decades of Evolutionary Art Using Computational Ecosystems and Its Potential for Virtual Worlds

We analyse works of digital art that use a technique from artificial life (ALife) called computational ecosystems (CEs). These are systems running on computers where agents are organized in a hierarchical structure (of a food-chain) and trade token units (of energy and biomass) as a way of promoting community dynamics. We analyse a collection of forty (40) papers communicating works developed in the last two decades. We classify each of these works according to an adapted taxonomy. We then produce a study of cumulative analysis to outline patterns and common features which might define the field. We conclude on the diversity and heterogeneity of the practice, to assert CEs as a multimedia generative tool useful in the construction of bio-mimicking ecosystems as well as in the animation of non-player characters (NPCs) with human-like behaviors in virtual words

Platformization of a Cloud Service

The digital platform has in a few years emerged as a key concept to depict a new kind of business model, organizational form and technical architecture. The transformational power of platforms is manifested by the notion of “platformization”, referring to the drive towards the platform as a dominant infrastructural and economic model.  In this paper, we analyze the nature of platformization processes and platform dynamics. We do this by applying a historical case study approach to the evolution of one digital platform, Microsoft Azure. By presenting three narratives we show how Microsoft Azure, has evolved from being mainly an efficient cloud computing and storage service to become a cloud platform, enabling digital capabilities and innovation at an unprecedented scale. We then discuss how this transformation towards a platform, was shaped by both the evolving digital materiality of the artefacts especially in terms of convergence and generativity, and the discursive work conducted by Microsoft through their official Microsoft Azure blog. We contribute with increased knowledge of innovative cloud platforms more specifically, and platform dynamics and platformization processes more generally

Data-Driven Innovation in the Creative Industries

The creative industries – the place where art, business, and technology meet in economic activity – have been hugely affected by the relatively recent digitalisation (and often monetisation) of work, home, relationships, and leisure. Such trends were accelerated by the global COVID-19 pandemic. This edited collection examines how the creative industries can be supported to make best use of opportunities in digital technology and data-driven innovation.Since digital markets and platforms are now essential for revenue generation and audience engagement, there is a vital need for improved data and digital skills in the creative and cultural sectors. Taking a necessarily global perspective, this book explores the challenges and opportunities of data-driven approaches to creativity in different contexts across the arts, cultural, and heritage sectors. Chapters reach beyond the platforms and approaches provided by the technology sector to delve into the collaborative work that supports innovation around the interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral issues that emerge where data infrastructures and approaches meet creativity.A novel intervention that uniquely centres the role of data in the theory and practice of creative industries’ innovation, this book is valuable reading for those researching and studying the creative economy as well for those who drive investment for the creative industries in a digitalised society

TOWARDS HUMAN-AI-COLLABORATION IN BRAINSTORMING: EMPIRICAL INSIGHTS INTO THE PERCEPTION OF WORKING WITH A GENERATIVE AI

Groups of humans or crowds can be remarkable when coming up with ideas. However, not everyone has a group of humans at their disposal to brainstorm. With recent advances in AI, however, generative large language models (LLM) might be capable of contributing ideas in a brainstorming session, turning individual work of a human into joint work of human and AI. It is, however, unclear, how group effects known from human brainstorming groups transfer to such a human-AI setting. In our mixed-method study (qualitative emphasis) with 24 participants, we investigate how a human brainstorms together with the generative LLM ‘GPT-3’, and how they perceived their experience. Our results highlight known effects like cognitive stimulation but also a risk of free riding. We thereby contribute to the understanding of how generative AI, which is becoming broadly available, can be used to address the challenge of human-AI collaboration for solving open-ended problems

The Immutability of Artwork in the Age of Digital Reproduction: NFT from the insiders\u27 perspective

A Non-Fungible Token (NFT) is a combination of a digital object and its blockchain-based certificate that promise to solve problems of authentic- ity and traceability of digital objects. Focusing on art domain, this study ex- plores the operations and implications of NFT-based digital artwork markets through the viewpoint of artists and collectors. The first data were collected in 2021 from various insiders in the NFT community: the interviewees working and earning in this market segment are the most suitable profiles to delineate the structure of these activities; their responses were analyzed against the theo- retical framework that includes the notions of digital objects and blockchain technology, outlining NFT properties. The results were consistent, showing that blockchain technology can overcome the limitations of digital objects while opening up new challenges and possible risks

What can we expect from Quantum (Digital) Twins?

Digital twins enable the modeling and simulation of real-world entities (objects, processes or systems), resulting in improvements in the associated value chains. The emerging field of quantum computing holds tremendous promise for evolving this virtualization towards Quantum (Digital) Twins (QDT) and ultimately Quantum Twins (QT). The quantum (digital) twin concept is not a contradiction in terms - but instead describes a hybrid approach that can be implemented using the technologies available today by combining classical computing and digital twin concepts with quantum processing. This paper presents the status quo of research and practice on quantum (digital) twins. It also discuses their potential to create competitive advantage through real-time simulation of highly complex, interconnected entities that helps companies better address changes in their environment and differentiate their products and services