The concept of the “Death of the author” by R. Barth and authorship in interaction with Artificial Intelligence

Abstract

This article considers how Roland Barthes’ concept of “Death of the Author” interacts with contemporary artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, focusing on how those technologies transform Barthes’s proposed notions of authorship. Barthes’ semiotic conception asserts that the interpretation of a text is not limited by the author’s intentions or biographical context. With the rise of AI in content creation, it is proposed to consider that technological mechanism in relation to the concepts proposed by Barthes, namely to demonstrate the applicability of the notion of “author” as “scriptor” and to reflect the form of AI influence in positive and critical literature. As well as reveal the applicability of the concept to visual forms of creative work and give examples of interaction between the “author-scripter” and AI. The interplay between Barth’s theory and the introduction of AI into the work process calls for a reassessment of authorship and textual meaning in relation to traditional literary theories, as well as legal frameworks governing copyright in contemporary society. The article argues that AI, acting as a new “discursive agent”, blurs the boundaries between creator and creation, leading to a heightened state of uncertainty, heterogeneity, and elusiveness.