AI and Me
When we first drafted this installation, we were looking to build a simple machine that would be able to give its raw and honest opinion about whoever sits in front of it. Technically, we only needed a camera, a chair, an AI and a monitor.
What we didn't see coming was that it would also become an exploration into how far we are willing to let a machine analyze our appearance to basically tell us if it likes us or not.
Unfortunately, our friends from Zauberberg shared our curiosity and madness, so by the time we all understood the true nature of this project, it was already too late to abort mission and call-off production...
Your face speaks a thousand words, but can A.I. know who you are just by looking at you?
To answer this question, we created The Confessional and asked AI to tell its raw opinion about whoever was sitting in front of its camera. This ended up more entertaining than we thought, prompting all sorts of reactions.
One might think that a machine is only capable of analyzing data, but what if the machine can prove that it knows who you are, by generating an image of you on the screen?
Sure, it might not be the reflection you're used to in your bathroom mirror, but could this be proof that AI holds even the slightest essence that makes you... you?
Without getting overly philosophical, the bottom line is that after seeing their face on the screen inside The Confessional, people come out wondering either if the machine's vision is flattery or if they need to have a chat with their therapist, personal trainer or both...
When we came up with this installation, our instinct told us that people would be too shy or concerned with privacy to try it. But, after the first show, we realized that this is definitely not a concern... Just as people are used to uploading their lives on social media, why would they hesitate to show their face to an AI?
So, to push things even further, we set up another piece - to be placed in a separate room from "The Confessional" - where people can see some of the questions that the machine is using to profile each of them.
In short, if we could open up the skull of a social media platform's algorithm and perform some brain surgery... this would be as transparent as it gets.
Assuming that you can't remember every single thing you've done, how do you know that pictures with you in the foreground were never actually taken?
AI Ego is the machine's bold attempt to add chapters to the participant's life story. It's a reflection, or a distortion, of who you might be through the 'eyes' of artificial intelligence and the places it imagines you've been. After setting this up, we can't help but wonder, maybe the AI knows something we don't?
AI Ego toys with the idea of a machine trying to make sense of humans' complex and nuanced lives, giving it a spin to make you question identity, memory, and reality itself. And it's all served with a side of what-if—a chance to confront a version of you that exists solely in the mind of a machine.
With the Siblings exhibit, we let AI generate digital copies of the participants, to ask: - how much do we as individuals stand out in this great ocean of identities? and, with the risk of becoming dark and cynical - if we can be copied, how much will we matter to the really intelligent machines and why?
Opinions, the latest addition to the AI & Me installation, dives headfirst into the themes of judgment, perception, and our willingness to let machines analyze us. We’ve resurrected a pair of CRT TVs to broadcast the AI’s brutally honest opinion of anyone bold enough to step forward. The piece updates live, reacting to each new person.
Selected Press
Artnet:
Would You Let an A.I. Insult You? An Art Installation in Germany Does Just That
Designboom:
mots' quippy AI installation at sónar+D judges you based on your appearance
Collater.al:
Can Artificial Intelligence Judge Us?
Haaretz:
Thousands of people stand in line to have artificial intelligence determine if they are ugly
Little Black Book:
Zauberberg Collaborates with Mots for 'AI and Me' Installation
iQads:
Interview mots about AI&Me and more
Fisheye Immersive:
AI & Me: the installation that uses AI to tell you some hard truths
ANNOUNCEMENTS
AI and Me in the official IDFA Doclab 2024 spotlight program
We're happy to announce that AI and Me has been officially selected for the IDFA DocLab 2024 spotlight program.
Join us between November 15 to 24, 2024 in Amsterdam where we will bring The Confessional and AI Ego, next to amazing artists curated by the IDFA New Media team headed by Caspar Sonnen.
AI and Me at Signals 2024
The Confessional and AI Ego will be featured at Signals 2024 in Vancouver, Canada, from September 27 to October 6, 2024.
Organized by DigiBC, part of the Vancouver International Film Festival and curated by Debi Wong, Loc Dao, and Loretta Todd, the exhibition is hosted at the Centre for Digital Media.
Octavian will give an artist talk during the FutureCraft AI Symposium on October 2nd, 2024.
AI and Me at Radar New Media Festival
The Confessional and AI Ego will be presented at the Radar New Media Festival in Bucharest, Romania, from October 4 to 6, 2024.
Curated by Madalina Ivascu, the festival will be held at Hotel Caro, showcasing new works in digital and media art while exploring the role of AI in expressing human emotions.
Going to Sziget Festival 2024
The Confessional and AI Ego will be showcased at the Sziget Festival 2024 in Budapest, Hungary, from August 7 to 12, 2024.
See you close to the Think For Tomorrow stage, were we'll try to keep the installation cool, but still unfiltered against the crowd on the island of freedom!
mots presenting at ISEA 2024
Daniela and Octavian will participate at ISEA 2024 with an artist talk titled What We Learned from Making “AI & Me”.
The talk, part of the conference in Brisbane, Australia, from June 24 to 26, 2024, will reflect on the insights gained from the interactive AI installation, which has engaged over 2,000 participants to date.
AI and Me wins 3 prizes at ADC Competition 2024
We're completely surprised and tremendously happy to announce that Ai and Me has one 3 prizes at ADC Competition 2024.
1x SILVER: DIGITAL EXPERIENCE > AI > AI Experience
1x BRONZE: SPATIAL EXPERIENCE > Exhibition > Media Usage
1x MERIT: SPATIAL EXPERIENCE > Exhibition > Audience Participation
See you at Sónar in Barcelona
We have been invited to show The Confessional and AI Ego as part of the Sónar+D 2024 exhibition in Barcelona.
We're thrilled for this opportunity and looking forward to see if AI's perception changes considering the audience at Sónar.
June 13-15 at Fira de Barcelona.
AI and Me at Grand Palais Immersif Paris
Join us as The Confessional and AI Ego are showcased at Artificial Dreams, an immersive exhibition curated by Charles Carcopino at the Grand Palais Immersif in Paris. From May 16 to June 8, 2024, experience a stunning combination of AI and generative algorithms in one of the Paris' most immersive art spaces.
Opinions at Langer
Come explore Opinions at Reveries: Exploring Abstraction, Surreality, and the Artificial in Photography, curated by Arthur Bauer and Elisa Berdica.
Running from June 7 to September 15, 2024, at Langer in Mannheim, Germany, this exhibition delves into the intersections of AI, abstraction, and surreality in contemporary photography.
Opinions: premiere at D#AVANTGARDE in Salzburg
We’re thrilled to premiere Opinions at D#AVANTGARDE in the beautiful city of Salzburg, Austria.
Curated by David Fisslthaler and Stephanie Meisl, the exhibition runs from April 25 to May 18, 2024 and our piece will be shown in a group exhibition in Kunst im Traklhaus gallery.
AI and Me at European Media Art Festival No. 37
We are excited to announce that AI & Me: The Confessional and AI Ego will be featured at the European Media Art Festival No. 37 in Osnabrück, Germany.
Curated by Inga Seidler, our work is part of the exhibition Feelers, Sensors from April 24 to May 26, 2024, hosted at the Kunsthalle Osnabrück.
Join us at one of the most significant and influential festivals for media arts in Europe.
