Toward an AI-Mediated Musical Creativity Framework for Resource-Constrained Contexts: Generative Artificial Intelligence, Creative Labour, and Digital Music Futures in Nigeria

D. I. Okunbor

doi:10.5281/zenodo.20811422

D. I. Okunbor Department of Music, Faculty of Arts, University of Delta, Agbor, Delta State.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20811422

Keywords: Generative artificial intelligence, musical creativity, AI mediated creativity, Nigeria, resource-constrained environments, human –AI co-creation, digital creativity, cultural mediation, creative industries

Abstract

All over the world, generative artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the process of music creation, production, performance and dissemination. Most prior research on AI creativity, however, is based on a technologically advanced context, and there is little in the literature that deals directly with the adoption and use of AI in the context of resource poor settings. The AI-Mediated Musical Creativity Framework for Resource-Constrained Environments (AIMCF-RCE) has been created to elucidate the dynamics of AI-supported music creation in Nigeria. The study suggests a framework for Human-AI Co-Creation by combining infrastructure theory, postcolonial digital theory, creative labour theory, AI generative capabilities, and human creative agency, drawing on the theories of Computational Creativity. The framework posits that musical creativity powered by AI is influenced by adaptive innovation practices, cultural context and infrastructural realities as well as by the technological capabilities available for musical creation. Musicians in Nigeria are working in an environment where electricity is unstable, internet access is not widely available, affordability is a concern, and platforms are dependent, which calls for innovative approaches to AI adoption. Additionally, the study argues that human creativity and intuition are essential in AI-assisted music creation, as cultural understanding, integration of local sounds, and artistic decisions cannot be completely automated. The authors bring a uniquely Global South perspective to the study, resulting in a new conceptual model that helps move the understanding of AI mediated creativity forward in developing economies.

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