Artificial Creativity: Enculturing Computers

Can we build machines that are creative in their own right? The author argues that we can. To this end he outlines an account of creativity and then goes on to argue that computer systems can meet the necessary criteria. The paper concludes with some remarks about what the field of artificial creativity can contribute to our understanding of machines and ourselves. What is artificial creativity? It is the art of constructing machines that are creative in their own right. Is artificial creativity possible? Why should we want to construct such devices? And, if we intend to try, what can we learn from such efforts? These are the issues addressed in this essay.