What will creative work look like in 2030? 

Public discourse on Artificial Intelligence often forces us into a binary: either embrace it as a utopian saviour of efficiency or reject it as a dystopian threat to human agency. But for the people actually doing the work the reality is far messier. 

Beyond the AI Binary is a new chapbook that moves past the hype to explore the nuanced, often contradictory realities of adopting AI in creative practice. Born from the CREA-TEC fellowship, this work translates complex workshop findings into accessible visual narratives, inviting readers to confront the tensions of authorship, agency, and value that define our current moment.  

At the heart of the chapbook is a series of futures workshops involving over 70 artists, designers, and creative professionals. Participants were asked to imagine their practice alongside generative AI, mapping a spectrum of possible futures ranging from radical technological transformation to a deliberate return to hands-on, analogue craft. 

These visions have been brought to life through a series of illustrations created by Chris Day. 

Selected illustrations and key insights from the workshops are projected onto the Inspace city screens 7-20 December. This outdoor exhibition invites passersby to engage with the question: What does it mean to navigate a landscape where efficiency clashes with integrity?  

Exhibition details

Inspace City Screens

Dates: 7-20 Dec, 2026 
Times: 17:00 – 1:00 Daily | Free/Street viewing daily 
Location: Inspace City Screens Exhibition, Potterrow, Edinburgh

Beyond the AI Binary: Launch Event 

The official launch of Beyond the AI Binary brings together diverse perspectives from research, practice, and industry to explore what responsible engagement with AI might mean for creative communities. 

Event details

Date: 10 Dec 2026
Times: 19:00-21:00 (2hrs) | Free/Ticketed 
Location: Inspace, 1 Crichton St, Newington, Edinburgh EH8 9AB
Audience: General public
Venue Access features: Accessible toilets, Assistance dogs welcome, Baby changing facilities, Seating, Step-free access, Wheelchair accessible

If you have any enquiries about Inspace programming and the venue, please contact us at designinformatics@ed.ac.uk.

Beyond the AI Binary serves as a tool for reflection and a record of the ambivalent feelings that define this moment in creative history. Copies are distributed at the launch event. The digital version will be available for download below from the day of the launch. 

About CREAT-TEC 

This work was developed as part of CREA-TEC: Cultivating Responsible Engagement with AI Technology to Empower Creatives, a Bridging Responsible AI (BRAID) fellowship project supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) [AH/X007146/F], in collaboration with Adobe. The project was co-designed and delivered in partnership with the Futures and Design Team of the Edinburgh Futures Institute.   

The project brings together creatives, academics, and communities to develop shared insights into the design and use of AI tools, ensuring the future of creative work remains human-centred.