Creativity and Authorship in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: A Metadata Perspective

Abstract

DCMI conceptualization of creator in the context of AI-generated content introduces new complexities, as AI systems challenge traditional notions of authorship, responsibility, and intellectual agency. Large language models, in particular, can generate content autonomously, yet they lack the agency, intent, and legal or moral responsibility that are traditionally associated with a creator or author. Consequently, assigning a 'creator' under this definition complicates questions of accountability, ownership, and provenance within metadata standards. This paper calls for a critical reexamination of how the concept of 'creator' is defined and applied in metadata schemas in the age of generative AI.