Call for Participation “Artificial vs. Natural Creativity: Semiotic and Interdisciplinary Perspectives” EFSS XXIX 6-9 September 2025, Sozopol, Bulgaria
We invite scholars, researchers, and students to an interdisciplinary academic forum exploring the evolving landscape of creativity and creative labor in the age of Artificial Intelligence. This event will address two key perspectives: first, the semiotic analysis of creativity as a textual strategy for AI-driven content generation, and second, the practical implications for current and future professionals. As AI technologies permeate creative industries—from content creation to design and media production—creative workers face growing anxieties about their roles and economic security. The trend of AI replacing, rather than augmenting, human creativity raises urgent ethical, social, and legal concerns. We encourage a critical examination of a central contemporary question: the irreplaceability of human creativity. Can machines truly replicate the nuanced, context-dependent, and deeply human aspects of creative expression? What is lost when artistic labor is devalued or displaced by automated systems? How can we champion human creativity as an essential element of a democratic cultural sphere? We seek contributions that assess the intrinsic and societal value of creative work, investigate the transformative impact of AI on labor markets, and propose policy and legislative frameworks to safeguard creative labor against unchecked corporate automation. Our aim is to foster a dialogue that upholds equal opportunity in cultural participation and employment and envisions a future where human creativity is not only preserved but prioritized amidst technological advancement.
At this semiotic and interdisciplinary forum, we welcome participants to address, but are not limited to, the following key topics:
–Theoretical Foundations of Creativity:
-Semiotic, Philosophical, and Theoretical Perspectives
–Creative Practice and Reflection:
-Practice and Autoethnography of Creativity
–AI and Creative Processes:
-AI-Assisted Creativity
-Creativity from the Perspective of AI Design and Computer Science
–Legal and Ethical Dimensions:
-AI and Intellectual Property Rights
-Ethical Aspects of AI-Generated Work
–Business and Social Impact:
-Implications for Management and Business
-Implications for Social and Creative Business Entrepreneurship
–AI in Education and Analysis:
-AI for Creative Education and Research
-Semiotic Analysis of AI-Created Texts
In order to enrich the interdisciplinary perspective we are negotiating with more keynote speakers who are leading researchers in AI and the Creative industries.
Selected papers will be published in the 9th issue of the journal Digital Age in Semiotics and Communication (ISSN, DOI, CEEOL)
REGISTRATION FORM (Deadline for registrations: 15 July)
Registration fee: 40 Euro (50 for non IASS members, Free for participants from ERUA partner universities). All payments are made before the school or at the registration in cash. The fee includes:
– access to all lectures, workshops, seminars and round tables,
– badge and materials,
– 5-6 coffee breaks,
– A welcoming reception on 7 September
EFSS 2025 is organized by the Southeast European Center for Semiotic Studies and the team of WP3 of European Reform University Alliance (ERUA2), with the support of the STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT FUND of New Bulgarian University
The XXIX EFSS is an event under the auspices of the International Association for Semiotic Studies (IASS)