G7 ministers warn of AI impact on cultural sector

ROME -- Alongside the opportunities, significant risks posed by Artificial Intelligence (AI) to the cultural sector were highlighted at the Group of Seven (G7) ministers' cultural meeting, which concluded on Saturday in Naples, Italy.

AI is "increasingly permeating the value chains in the cultural and creative sectors and industries, with impacts on the working conditions and the livelihoods of culture professionals and the sustainability of a vibrant and vital cultural ecosystem," said the declaration, which was issued by ministers of culture from the G7 countries during the three-day talks.

The leaders agreed to work together to address the ethical, legal, economic, and social implications of Generative AI and AI-powered tools for the cultural and creative industries.

The leaders also called on "identification and authentication, where technically feasible, of cultural content entirely or partially generated, modified or altered by AI systems."

The focus on the challenges related to artificial intelligence has been one of the main areas of focus during Italy's 2024 presidency of the G7.

A protest against the G7 cultural meeting took place Saturday morning in central Naples, according to Italy's Rai news. Around fifty demonstrators marched, rolling out a red carpet as a symbolic critique of the "political showcase" occurring.