Poetics, Aesthetics and AI
Start date: 01/03/2025End date: 31/12/2025
Call: Internal Project
This research project investigates the relationship between artificial intelligence and poetic experience, focusing on how aesthetics and authorship influence the perception of literary quality. Drawing on theoretical frameworks from aesthetics, media studies, and the philosophy of art, the study explores how people engage with poetry when the creative process involves non-human agents. The primary objective is to understand both the perceived and lived experience of poetic texts generated by AI.
Methodologically, the project adopts a mixed-methods approach. A quantitative survey has been administered to two representative sub-samples of the Italian population. The first group was asked to evaluate selected poems without any information about the authorship. The second group received the same poems but was informed that they were produced by AI. This comparison aims to uncover implicit biases and the role of authorship in aesthetic judgment.
In parallel, a qualitative phase will explore the perspectives of emerging poets regarding AI’s role in creative writing. Through in-depth interviews and reflective exercises, this part of the study will provide nuanced insights into the creative process, authorship, and evolving notions of poetic expression in the age of artificial intelligence.
