Design Art Papers 2025 | No. 13

Valentin Lucian CIORBA Vladimir STANCOVICI Mălina GHENCEA Emilina GAMARTA TracingMemes in the Age of AI: The Paradigmof Online Communication andVideoGame Culture Introduction The evolution of memes in the era of artificial intelligence is characterised by rapid innovation and a fundamental transformation in the ways cultural ideas are generated, disseminated, and adapted within digital society. While contemporary memes are often associated with immediacy and mass participation, it is essential to first consider their origins and the processes through which they have become such a pervasive and beloved form of expression. Memes, as units of cultural transmission, have historically thrived on accessibility and the capacity for swift adaptation, allowing individuals to share humour, commentary, and collective identity in a format that is both approachable and engaging. With the advent of generative artificial intelligence, the landscape of meme creation has shifted further, introducing new tools for image and text generation that challenge established notions of authorship and originality. This development prompts critical questions regarding the influence of AI on the aesthetics, dissemination, and cultural relevance of memes. The primary aim of this paper is to analyse the evolution of meme structure and to examine how the integration of artificial intelligence may further influence, or even fundamentally alter, the nature of meme culture as it continues to evolve. Keywords / meme culture; communication; artificial intelligence; human; art; video game; Dada; Summary / This paper analyses the evolution of memes, transformed by the context of generative artificial intelligence, exploring the paradigm of online communication and video game culture. Tracing the historical development of memes from their genesis to the present, the study analyses their classification by era and highlights the most influential examples, and their societal impact. Drawing parallels between meme culture and avant-garde art movements, such as Dadaism, the research places memes as both a means of expression and a form of participatory digital art. The analysis foregrounds the increasing role of AI in meme creation, emphasizing how technological advancements are reshaping the production, dissemination, and cultural resonance of memes. This research demonstrates that memes, as dynamic and adaptive cultural phenomena, both reflect and influence the shifting landscape of online communication and creativity. 1. Historical Parallels Between Memes and Dadaism To analyse the cultural significance of memes and the role of artificial intelligence in their creation, it is essential to adopt a comprehensive analytical framework. The main perspectives considered meme are that of; facilitators of digital phenomena (Vitiuk et al. 2020: 45), multimodal constructs (Dancygier et al. 2017: 565; Zenner, Geeraerts 2018: 167-194), and as distinct forms of internet-native art. This study adopts an art-centred perspective, enabling a nuanced analysis of how generative AI shapes meme form and dissemination. In doing so, it draws parallels between memes and the artistic movements of Dada and Neo-Dada, which share comparable creative methods, purposes, and intentions. 1.1. Dadaism - The Anti-Art of Anti-War Dada emerged in the early 20th century as an avant- garde response to the horrors of World War I (Gardner 2015: 900–9004; Tate n.d.). Reacting to what they saw as the “insane spectacle of collective homicide,” Dadaists viewed the war as a grim outcome of Enlightenment rationality (Gardner 2015: 900–9004). Consequently, they posited that only an embrace of anarchy and irrationality could adequately address this crisis (Gardner 2015: 900–9004; Naumann 1994: 245