What Is an AI-Generated Artwork?

In recent years, research on creativity has been strongly entangled with the breakthrough of artificial intelligence (AI) in art. In particular, three main areas study the relation between AI and art: cognitive science, computer science, and art theory. However, knowledge transfer between areas is challenging, as each speciality has its own definitions for the same concepts. In order to standardise terminology, I propose that an AI-generated artwork involves the conjunction of three elements: (1) an autonomous AI-production of a new and surprising idea or artefact, (2) which passes an internal evaluation mechanism embedded in the very same AI, and (3) is considered a candidate of appreciation by a human audience. This definition has been created to unite the abovementioned fields of study in this regard. As will be shown, it takes into consideration their similarities and particularities. Therefore, it is intended to be a transdisciplinary concept across art theory and AI research.