The Challenge of Artificial Intelligence for the Cultural Sector. An overview from USA Sectorial Data

The aim of this paper is to verify the stage of development and diffusion of the AI paradigm in the cultural sector and related industries exploiting the Business Trends and Outlook Survey (BTOS), a recent and new US source of data that asks specific questions on the use of AI in the non-farm sector. We focus on questions and answers related to the US Sector 71 that refers to firms operating in the Arts, Entertainment and Recreation activities and present evidences on current and future use of AI in Subsectors 711, 712 and 713 based on the BTOS Surveys from September 2023 to November 2024. We have verified that the diffusion of AI is still in the pioneering phase of adoption, both in the US non-farm economy and in arts, entertainment and recreation activities. In these activities the rate of adoption is similar (6%) to that of the rest of non-farm sector. We check the now ‘vexata quaestio’ if AI and its generative applications are a substitute of employment and current equipment and software. We analyse the type of adopted AI technologies/applications, the impact of AI on firm organisation, and the barriers and motivations for non-adopting AI. Surprisingly, a share of 86.2% of firm non-adopters does not see AI as a viable technology in the arts, entertainment and recreation sectors.