AI-induced cultural stagnation is no longer speculation − it’s already happening

AI-mediated culture is already being filtered in ways that favor the familiar, the describable and the conventional.

By: Ahmed Elgammal, Rutgers University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: January 22, 2026

Words: 1,351

Last Updated: 1 month, 3 weeks ago

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By Ahmed Elgammal, Rutgers University

Generative AI was trained on centuries of art and writing produced by humans.

But scientists and critics have wondered what would happen once AI became widely adopted and started training on its outputs.

A new study points to some answers.

In January 2026, artificial intelligence researchers Arend Hintze, Frida Proschinger Åström and Jory Schossau published a study showing what happens when generative AI systems are allowed to …

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