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Artificial Aesthetics and Ethical Ambiguity: Exploring Business Ethics in the Context of AI-driven Creativity

Author

Listed:
  • Cheng Xu

    (Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University)

  • Yanqi Sun

    (Beijing Institute of Petrochemical Technology)

  • Haibo Zhou

    (University of Nottingham Ningbo China)

Abstract

In an era of technological ubiquity, artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping not only industries but also fundamental human experiences, including artistic creativity. Rooted in a Posthumanist theoretical framework, this research scrutinizes the intricate ethical and aesthetic challenges that artists confront in AI-enabled art creation, with a particular focus on a novel phenomenon we term 'aesthetic loss of control.’ This phenomenon bears significant implications for notions of authorship, copyright, and business ethics in the art industry. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, our study involves a six-month-long collaboration with 34 artists from diverse artistic and cultural milieus, facilitated by AI algorithms versed in an array of artistic styles. Through iterative cycles of human input and AI output, coupled with in-depth interviews, observational studies, and diary analyses, we meticulously document the artists’ experiences and their emerging doubts over authorship and creative control. Our findings illuminate the nuanced complexities surrounding this 'aesthetic loss of control,’ extending current discussions in business ethics by offering empirically grounded insights and recommendations for navigating these ethical dilemmas. The study not only contributes new theoretical perspectives to the discourse but also provides actionable ethical guidelines for stakeholders in the art industry's commercial ecosystem.

Suggested Citation

  • Cheng Xu & Yanqi Sun & Haibo Zhou, 2025. "Artificial Aesthetics and Ethical Ambiguity: Exploring Business Ethics in the Context of AI-driven Creativity," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 199(4), pages 671-692, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:199:y:2025:i:4:d:10.1007_s10551-024-05837-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-024-05837-2
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    References listed on IDEAS

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