Role-Based Perceptions of Computer Participants in Human-Computer Co-Creativity

The purpose of this ongoing research is to better un- derstand the potential contributions that computers can play in sit- uations where people interact with computers towards creative pur- suits and goals. Past research has provided sets of definitions of dif- ferent roles that a computer plays in human-computer creative col- laboration. Thus far, we look into the advantages and limitations of having such roles. In particular, this paper contributes an analysis and categorisation of the coverage of existing role classifications for computational participants in co-creativity. This analysis is comple- mented by a comparative review of the use of roles to understand and structure creative collaboration between people only (i.e. without any computational participants involved). Our wider project investigates whether these defined sets of roles are a. adequate and b. helpful for understanding the perception of computational contributions in co-creativity, with a study planned to investigate the roles of current systems in practice. This project considers both co-creative computer systems that currently exist, and systems that could potentially exist in the future. Our goal is to reach a point where the perception of what is possible in human-computer co-creative collaboration is en- abled and boosted (but not constrained) by a definitive set of roles.