Playing to Cambridge’s legacy of innovation and debate, The Big Tech Debate, returns for the third year offering a dynamic, interactive session that challenges conventional thinking. Following last year’s lively debate on the role of government in UK Tech, 2025 promises to be even more electrifying, this session will feature thought-provoking discussions on the most pressing issues in technology. Namely:
"This house proposes that the integration of AI in the creative industry will ultimately undermine human creativity and devalue the essence of artistic expression." *
AI presents both exciting possibilities and significant challenges in creative fields such as film, literature, music, and art. On the one hand, it can enhance creativity by generating ideas, assisting with production, and democratising access to creative tools - enabling rapid experimentation and collaboration, even for those without formal training. AI can help artists push the boundaries of their creativity, offering new perspectives and techniques that were previously unimaginable.
However, AI also raises important concerns about originality, authenticity, and the value of human effort. The widespread use of AI-generated content risks flooding creative markets, making it harder for human artists to be heard. Moreover, over-reliance on algorithms could homogenise culture and erode the emotional depth rooted in lived human experience. Ethical implications, such as using people’s images in films after they are dead or the proliferation of deepfakes, must be confronted as AI becomes more embedded in our creative lives.
This debate asks: should we embrace this evolution, or stand firm in defending creativity as a fundamentally human endeavour?
*the narrative is subject to change but demonstrates the topic to be discussed.