AI in Popular Culture

This book examines the transformative impact of generative AI on cultural production, with a particular focus on how AI technologies like ChatGPT are reshaping the creation of popular culture. Through comprehensive analysis of both Global North and South perspectives, the book offers critical insights into AI governance, ethical considerations, and the future of cultural production in an increasingly AI-integrated creative landscape. Tracing the evolution of AI in cultural industries, from its early representations in films to its current active role in content creation across various mediums including film, television, music, and animation, the book explores how AI has shifted from being merely depicted in cultural works to becoming an integral tool in the creative process, from pre-production to post-production stages. It critically analyzes three core concepts - creativity, control, and credentials (3Cs) - in the context of AI-driven cultural production, putting focus on the examination of "precarious creativity", the tension between human creative expression and AI-generated content. The work addresses crucial concerns about labor rights, job security, and creative control in the cultural industries. This book will interest graduate students and researchers in media studies, cultural studies, anthropology, globalization studies, sociology, and science and technology studies (STS), as well as interested policymakers and practitioners interested in AI's impact on the creative industries.