Beyond Computational Illusion: Futures Worth Wanting for Artistic Practices and Technical Cultures

Abstract

Artists and cultural theorists, although they use dif ferent means, share the task of problematizing culture. The urgent task now is to critically examine the ways we use AI text-to-image generators and create space for ref lection about engaging with these systems. I approach this through what I term the cultural logic of computational capitalism, drawing on Fredric Jameson and Bernard Stiegler. The paper addresses how arts and humanities can help overcome this logic and transform AI’s visual culture itself. Such an inquiry is essential given that AI text-to-image generators not only disrupt traditional art production but also concentrate creative power in the hands of a few dominant platforms. While these concerns are global, they require specific regional responses. Focusing on East-Central European countries, I argue that the underrepresentation of their visual cultures in AI models stems from their semi-peripheral status within global technological and economic systems. Rather than simply feeding existing AI models with better regional training data, I propose supporting dissident artistic practices that promote regional digital and digitally sustainable cultures.