El Main Theater of Palencia It is preparing to host a conversation that focuses on one of the major topics of our time: the impact of Artificial Intelligence on the world of books. This is the latest session in the series of literary encounters. 'Footnote Dialogues'Literary creation looks at itself in the mirror of machines and algorithms.
The evening invites the audience to ask themselves a question that is as provocative as it is relevant: "What if the next bestseller was written by an artificial intelligence?"Starting from this question, writer Javier Sierra and journalist and essayist Esther Paniagua will discuss how new technologies are changing the way stories are written, published and consumed, and what cultural, ethical and professional implications arise from this.
A meeting to reflect on literature in the age of algorithms
The colloquium will take place in the Teatro Principal de Palencia, at 7:00 p.m., within the second day of the 'Footnote Dialogues' series. This time, the program focuses on the intersection between literature and Artificial Intelligence, a field that until recently sounded like science fiction and that today is part of the daily lives of many creative people.
They will sit on the stage Javier Sierra, one of the most widely read Spanish authors both within and outside the country, and Esther paniaguaA journalist specializing in technology and society. The talk will be moderated by another journalist. AgustÃn Romero, who will be in charge of leading the conversation and organizing the questions posed to the audience.
The organization presents the event as a space to discuss both the creative possibilities opened up by AI as problems it creates for preserving the authenticity of the writingUltimately, it's about analyzing to what extent automated tools can be allies of writers, and where the slippery slope of substitution, copying, or cultural misinformation begins.
The 'Footnote Dialogues' series aims to take literature off the page and make it a lively meeting place between authors and readersIn this edition, the focus is squarely on an issue that affects the entire European publishing industry: how to adapt to an accelerated technological context without losing the essence of human creation.
At the end of the colloquium, it is expected that The two speakers will sign copies of their latest booksso that those who attend will not only be able to listen to their reflections, but also to approach their works and have a brief conversation with them.
AI as a driving force and a challenge for culture
To illustrate the scope of the change that Artificial Intelligence brings to the cultural sphere, the organization recalls some recent cases that have made headlines worldwide. One of the most discussed was that of the painting 'Space Opera Theatre', generated with the help of AI and awarded in an art competition in Texas (United States) in 2022.
In that competition, the author acknowledged that he had used Artificial Intelligence tools to create the workWhen the jury and the public learned how the painting had been created, the award was ultimately revoked, sparking an intense debate about what constitutes an original work and what the role of machines should be in creative processes.
Shortly afterwards, the use of these technologies returned to the center of public conversation with the unreleased song by The Beatles, 'Now and Then'The track was recovered and arranged using AI systems capable of isolating and enhancing John Lennon's voice, and the resulting piece became Grammy Award nomineeThis demonstrated the extent to which AI is destined to coexist with mass popular culture.
Both episodes show that Artificial Intelligence not only affects literature, but also It is transforming the cultural ecosystem as a wholeFrom the visual arts to music, including audiovisual media and, of course, book publishing. The discussions in Palencia thus connect with a global debate related to... evolution of Spanish literaturewhich is also being closely followed in Spain and the rest of Europe.
In this context, the 'Footnote Dialogues' meeting raises uncomfortable but necessary questions: Who is the true author of a work created with AI?How are the rights of those who provide the data and styles used to train these systems protected? Or to what extent can writing be automated without devaluing the reading experience?
Javier Sierra, a Spanish storyteller with international appeal
The choice of Javier Sierra His participation in this debate is no coincidence. After winning the Planet Award thanks to the novel The invisible fire, it became established as the only Spanish author to have made it into the top 10 best sellers in the United States, a milestone that speaks to the external projection of his work.
Throughout his career he has authored titles widely known to the reading public, such as The secret dinner, The master of the Prado, The blue lady o The lost angelIn all of them, he combines a taste for mystery, art, and history with an accessible style that moves comfortably between popular science and fiction.
His most recent book, the master plan (Planet)It revolves around the figure of the so-called "master instructors" and proposes a look at art as the driving force of civilizationThrough the novel, Sierra explores how certain works and artistic movements have driven profound changes in the way societies think and organize themselves.
The presence of a writer accustomed to handling historical and symbolic references allows the conversation about AI to be taken to a broader terrain: that of the relationship between knowledge, power, and narrativeTo what extent can automated systems alter collective narratives? What responsibility do those who design and use them have when it comes to storytelling?
On the stage of the Teatro Principal, Sierra is also expected to contribute his direct experience with the international publishing market, where the AI tools are already being used in tasks such as promotion, translation, and analysis of reading trends.factors that also influence which books are written and which ones eventually reach bookstores.
Esther Paniagua, a key voice at the intersection of technology and society
Sierra will also participate Esther paniaguaA journalist and essayist who has focused much of her career on explaining how technology shapes our lives, our democracies, and our future. Her work operates precisely at the intersection of these two elements. digital innovation and citizenship.
Paniagua has more than a dozen awards in journalism, dissemination and leadershipboth in Spain and in other European countries. Her work has been recognized, among other things, by being included among the 'Top 100 Women Leaders in Spain' and on the list of the '100 Most Creative People in Business' produced by the magazine Forbes, in addition to being listed as one of Europe's most prominent scientific authors.
She is the author of the essay Error 404. Are you ready for a world without the internet? (Debate)A book in which he analyzes the extent to which our daily lives depend on the internet and what would happen if it suddenly stopped working. Based on this premise, he reflects on the fragility of digital infrastructures and on the need to think about more resilient and humane alternatives.
His participation in the Palencia meeting provides a rigorous approach to the workings of Artificial Intelligence and large technological platforms, but also a critical look at their effects on culture. Among other aspects, Paniagua often emphasizes the importance of Do not simply delegate tasks that affect the diversity of voices to algorithmsto informational pluralism and the quality of public debate.
In a conversation about literature and AI, her voice is especially relevant for addressing topics such as... opacity of language models, the use of protected works to train them without explicit permission, or the risk of homogenizing styles and themes based on historical data that could reproduce biases and inequalities.
A literary series that opens its doors to the public
The meeting is part of the cycle 'Footnote Dialogues'a proposal promoted by the publishing house Minus quarter and which has the support of Palencia City Council through its Department of Culture, Tourism and Festivals. The initiative was born with the idea of ​​offering a stable space for literary conversation in the city, where authors and readers can meet face to face.
Far from being limited to the classic presentation of a book, the cycle opts for formats where the focus is on the exchange of ideas and public participation, similar to those found in the Santander old book fairIn this new session, the goal is for attendees to hear arguments for and against the use of Artificial Intelligence in creation, and also to raise their own questions and expectations.
To facilitate attendance, the organization has made available to the public free tickets which can be collected at the Teatro Principal box office. At the same time, an appeal is being made to those who are ultimately unable to attend to Return your invitations at the box officeso that other interested people can occupy those seats.
The hours for processing these returns are 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the morning and 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the afternoonIn this way, the aim is to optimize the available capacity and ensure that the greatest possible number of people can attend the event, given the interest generated by the topic of Artificial Intelligence applied to literature.
With a program that combines established literary figures with voices specializing in other fields of knowledge, 'Dialogues at the Foot of the Page' reinforces the idea that Literature is also a place to reflect on social and technological changes.beyond mere entertainment.
The fact that this debate is being held in Palencia reflects the extent to which The conversation about AI and culture has become part of the public agenda.Far from being a matter reserved for computer experts, the question of who writes, how they write, and what value we place on originality affects readers, creators, cultural institutions, and government bodies. This meeting, which combines Javier Sierra's narrative perspective with Esther Paniagua's technological analysis, presents an opportunity to take the pulse of these shared concerns and to calmly imagine what kind of creative future we want to build in Spain and Europe.
