07.09. – 11.09.2017; Linz.
Artificial Intelligence and The Essence of Human, Machine & Data.
Hype and diffuse fears dominate the debate on artificial intelligence. This year’s Ars Electronica tries to introduce a different perspective to the polarizing discourse on the topic by asking: What is the essence of a human being? What are the things that only humans need to live a good life? Also in a future in which AI and robots will be as good as humans in many ways and even superior.
This year’s edition of the Ars Electronica festival examines the visions, expectations and fears that we associate with the idea of a future, comprehensive AI. “Amidst all the hype or this state of hysteria that has accrued around the subject of artificial intelligence, more shades of gray have to be added to the prevailing black-and-white picture”, says Gerfried Stocker, artistic director of the festival. And with respect to apocalyptical scenarios, he points out that there is not a single piece of technology on this planet that was not made by human beings.
In 2017, the theme exhibition Point Zero explores the fields of Human.0, Machine.0 and Data.0. It searches for the essence, the core of human beings, machines and data. Gerfried Stocker puts it in a nutshell: “This has to do with the question: What is intelligence? We are actually not in a position to even describe what intelligence is”.
The three areas overlap in projects such as “cellF” by Guy Ben-Ary who developed his own somatic cells into a neuronal network that controls a specially designed synthesizer. Signals are converted into sounds and “the Other I” into an instrument. In “Archive Dreaming” by Refik Anadol, on the other hand, visitors can immerse themselves in the “brain” of a self-learning machine. Enormous quantities of data and archive material are fed into a neuronal network and made accessible in a space created by the artist.
INFO Ars Electronica Festival 2017 Artificial Intelligence – Das Andere Ich 07.09. – 11.09.2017 CyberArts-Ausstellung zeigt die besten, beim Prix Ars Electronica eingereichten und prämierten Medienkunst-Arbeiten 07.09. – 17.09.2017 OK im OÖ Kulturquartier www.ok-centrum.at Ars Electronica Animation Festival 07.09. – 11.09.2017 Central, OK, Moviemento www.aec.at Featured Artist: Time’s Up Turnton Docklands (physical narrative) 07.09. – 22.10.2017 LENTOS Kunstmuseum www.lentos.at
