The future of creative work: creativity and digital disruption

Abstract

Creative work is changing rapidly. Digital disruption and the rise of intangible capital are causing an upheaval in the social institutions of work, and changing where, how, in what sector and by whom creative work is engaged. Robotics, autonomous systems, artificial intelligence, global digital platforms, and Blockchain will change the design, production and consumption of culture – and, in parallel, the work of creatives. Work in architecture, design, media, art, and digital entertainment will all be affected. Creative workers in other sectors, who outnumber those in the creative industries, will also be affected. These changes will create new axes of power and inequality in the global sphere of creative work. Traditional creative professions will be challenged; new species of creative work will evolve. Some will flourish. In the future deep aesthetic and expressive capabilities will remain crucial, but their combinatorial potential and application across the economy is equally important.