Applications of AI in Arts & Culture
November 2025
This article is related to a recently completed custom research project ABA conducted on behalf of a member. Our research team is always delighted to speak with members about tailoring research projects to your organization. To learn more or submit a custom research request, simply contact your member advisor or email us at info@advisoryarts.com.
How can arts institutions productively use AI in a way that empowers staff and enhances the audience experience? To answer this question, ABA conducted 10 in-depth interviews across arts and culture, higher education, technology, and the sports sector, supported by secondary research from leading AI reports.
The research analyzes AI use cases across data analysis efficiencies, research support, generative content creation, optimised workflows and enhancing the customer experience. It also explores key challenges facing the sector, how governance frameworks can mitigate these concerns and tools for encouraging institutional adoption.
Key Takeaways
The arts and cultural sector remains early in its AI journey, with most organizations taking a cautious but curious stance.
Adoption typically focuses on one or two initiatives within five areas: Data & Analytics, Research, Content Creation, Workflow Optimization, and Customer Experience.
Even early adopters are establishing foundational guardrails to address concerns around privacy, biases, maintaining the human touch and funding constraints.
Institutional adoption of AI-native tooling can be encouraged through informal and formal literacy-building, empowering early adopters, facilitating low-risk experimentation, and embedding AI roll-out initiatives into organizational strategies.
As AI sees increased adoption across industries, organizations that invest in structured pilots, staff training, and effective guardrails will be best positioned to capture future opportunities.
Members can download the report by clicking below.
