Creatives to sharpen focus on sustainability and creative AI

Movers and shakers in the creative industries, politics, science and national funding institutions will come together in Kampnagel from March 5-6, 2024 for talks on improving the framework conditions for the creative industries. The agenda features keynotes, panel discussions, workshops and masterclasses on e.g., financing and monetisation, internationalisation, sustainability, and creative AI. Hosted by Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft with the German Coalition for Cultural and Creative Industries (k3d) and the Network of German Creative Industries Associations, the choice of Hamburg as venue is no coincidence, Rühl stressed. "The city is recognised as an attractive and important centre of the creative industries in Germany."

Around 12,580 firms in the creative industries with 73,500 employees generated a turnover of EUR 12.2 billion (2021) in Hamburg. Software and games lead the way with EUR 4.4 billion followed by advertising with EUR 2.7 billion, press (EUR 2.4 billion) and design (EUR 1.6 billion). Creative minds and companies will come together in the Cross Innovation Lab from February 7-15, 2024 to work on solutions for more "Sustainability and Circularity". "Sustainability is the order of the day and is important for companies of all sizes and industries. That creates climate-friendlier supply chains, as well as manufacturing processes and recyclable products against the backdrop of new European and German directives and laws," Rühl stressed.

The circular economy is key to achieving global climate targets. "Innovative solutions are more important than ever to remain on the market in the long term." The Cross Innovation Lab can make a significant contribution to that goal. "Creative industries, especially design, are a key skill and among the basic elements of the circular economy," Rühl pointed out. "Designers are at the interface between producers and consumers and have a wide range of skills e.g., for preventing waste and pollution from the outset." Creatives input new perspectives and break with established thought patterns. "They like to think 'outside the box' and to arrive at innovative solutions to complex problems."

Creative AI is seen increasingly as a means of solving complex problems and offering everyday support at work. "The speed at which the topic has gained relevance since the release of ChatGPT is remarkable," said Rühl. Creatives can now draw on wide-ranging applications. "Creative AI can help professionals in various creative phases of text, image or audio productions." Creative AI eases workflows and offers new impetus. However, the technology is not without risks. Copyright is just one example of this, he added: "Similar to other technological developments, the products and their use are much faster than the corresponding regulations on protecting copyright." The creative industry also has to grapple with the few powerful tech giants on the market that are driving the development of AI thanks to large budgets.

AI has always been pivotal to the games industry, Rühl noted: "When it comes to new technologies, game developers and companies are among the early adopters. The same applies to AI." The industry is now testing different AI tools and how they can be integrated into the business. "Companies are also looking to develop medium-term roadmaps to optimise their technical and human resources." Nearly 200 games companies are headquartered in Hamburg and several universities are now offering specialised degree courses. The Games Lift incubator scheme and prototype funding for developing computer games make Hamburg a start-up hub for the games industry, emphasises Rühl.

Several events underline Hamburg's importance as a creative centre. "The international Hamburg Games Conference in March 2024 and the Polaris Convention in October 2024 (the last convention attracted 27,000 visitors) give Hamburg two flagship events that bring both the industry and the large target group of gamers to the city."

ys/pb

Read the other parts in our series:

1) EEHH keeping a close eye on energy transition

2) Aviation becoming environment-friendlier