2026 Toronto events
AI and the Great Toronto Novel
Event Details Coming Soon
AI and the Great Toronto Novel is a Provocation Ideas Festival initiative exploring how storytelling defines who we are—and what we aspire to be. Using a combination of public participation and artificial intelligence, the project invites Toronto residents from across the city to contribute their lived experiences, memories, questions, and hopes, which are then woven—through careful human curation and AI tools—into a collectively authored work of fiction that tells Toronto’s story in a new way.
Commissioned by Provocation and developed under the creative direction of Nehal El-Hadi, the project treats AI not as a replacement for human creativity, but as a collaborative instrument that can amplify collective imagination and civic connection. Alongside the novel, the work may expand into other creative forms, including illustrated publications, animation, and audio projects, offering a powerful case study in city-scale artistic collaboration.
As the project enters its implementation phase, Provocation will be hosting public events and conversations in 2026 that invite Torontonians to take part, reflect on the role of AI in the arts and humanities, and help shape a shared cultural work—by and for the city.
The Great Toronto AI Novel: Project Vision & Roadmap
