Creativity and GenAI. The ethics of prompting between co-creation, de-creation and simulation

Abstract

The essay examines how Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) redefines the concepts of creation and creativity by intertwining imagination, technology, and ethics. From Platonic mimesis to contemporary reflections, it distinguishes between human creativity and algorithmic production. Algorithmic systems create images through prompts crafted by humans, introducing the notion of co-creation. Prompting is conceived as an algorithmic ekphrasis — a linguistic and moral act that guides image generation, carrying both the risks of bias and the potential for inclusion. The resulting hyperrealism situates GenAI within Baudrillard’s regime of simulacra, where the sign tends to replace reality, thereby heightening the responsibility of users and developers. The essay proposes an ethics of de-creation, copying, and simulation oriented toward pluralism, inclusion, and visual justice.