A computational lyric is a form of poetry that incorporates algorithmic processes, data streams, machine learning, or digital constraints into its composition, structure, or thematic content, blurring the boundaries between human creativity and artificial intelligence. This may involve generating verse from real-time Twitter feeds, mapping emotional states to heart rate data, or using recursive code to mimic fractal patterns in stanzaic form. While controversial in debates about authorship and authenticity, computational lyric expands poetic possibilities by engaging with technology as both medium and subject, challenging students to consider how digital tools reshape voice, form, and meaning in the 21st century.

Computational lyric merges poetic expression with algorithmic processes—using code, data, or AI to generate or structure verse. This may involve constraint-based writing (e.g., Oulipo), neural net outputs, or sonnets mapped to real-time data streams. While controversial, it expands notions of authorship and form. Students should explore both its creative potential and ethical questions about voice, originality, and human-machine collaboration.