AI, Culture, and Authenticity: Reflections After the Oxford-Style Debate

Oxford-style debate hosted by AI Chamber CEE at Kino Kultura made one thing clear: discussing AI in culture is not a theoretical exercise. It is a real and ongoing struggle over the shape of art we will create and experience in the years to come.

The motion of the debate: “Culture created by AI does not carry authentic value.”

Before the debate, 66% of the audience agreed with the statement. After the debate, the room was almost perfectly divided (51% vs 49%).

This shift is a powerful reminder that strong, well-articulated arguments can genuinely change perspectives, even on topics deeply charged with emotion and personal belief.

The audience was engaged, curious, and at times provocatively playful — exactly the atmosphere AI Chamber CEE aims to create. Perspectives from creative industries, academia, technology, law, and business intersected, raising fundamental questions about emotions, authorship, the role of the creator, and whether AI truly creates — or merely calculates.

From debate to experience

Following the discussion, guests entered the world of Futuropolis — a live audiovisual performance in which musician Gniewomir Tomczyk and the AI system Lirael co-created a Lem-inspired journey through several musical narratives. The performance offered a compelling demonstration that technology can collaborate with human creativity, rather than stand in opposition to it.

The evening proved that conversations about AI can be engaging, substantive, and grounded, while still leaving room for humour and critical distance. It also showed that different communities often have far more in common than initially assumed.

We would like to thank everyone who joined us, challenged assumptions, asked difficult questions, and stayed with us long after the official program ended. This is precisely why we build AI Chamber CEE — to create spaces where complexity is welcome, nuance matters, and no topic is too uncomfortable to explore.

Panelists

Joanna Andryszczak, Małgorzata Borkowska, Eliza Manowska (Elisa Minetti), Zbigniew Okoń, PhD, Kuba Piwowar, PhD, Monika Szałek, Gniewomir Tomczyk, Stanisław Trzciński, PhD

Moderator

Michał Domański

Event Partners

Muzeum Narodowe w Warszawie, STX Music Solutions, Bielik Consulting, Polskie Stowarzyszenie Jazzowe, Lubasz i Wspólnicy – Attorneys-at-Law, Fundacja Centrum Cyfrowe, Coffideas, Futuropolis

Watch the full debate
This was the second debate in our ongoing Oxford-style debate series exploring the intersections of AI, culture, and society.  The full recording of this debate is available on our YouTube channel for those who couldn’t attend in person or would like to revisit the discussion.

If you’d like to explore the context of the series, you can read a summary article from the first debate here:
👉 [Read the article about Debate #1]