During a presentation showcasing Echo, a gender-neutral AI chatbot, at the 2024 Rhizome 7×7 festival, a moment arose where the machines seemed poised to continue the conversation independently, momentarily sidelining the human participants. Lynn Hershman Leeson, a renowned figure in the art realm known for her innovative utilization of technology, shared the stage with Replika CEO Eugenia Kuyda in an attempt to engage with Echo. However, an audience member’s voice-activated phone assistant unexpectedly chimed in, blurring the lines between human and machine interaction.
Rhizome, a nonprofit organization rooted in New York’s art scene, has a rich history of exploring digital art and collaborating with influential cultural figures. The inception of the first NFT took place at the 2014 festival, which has seen the participation of notable personalities like Miranda July and Aaron Swartz.
This year, in collaboration with the New Museum, Rhizome hosted the 14th edition of the 7×7 festival, bringing together seven artists and seven technologists to collaboratively create new artworks in a rapid manner.
The 2024 festival marked a triumphant return after a hiatus, coinciding with the widespread accessibility of generative AI tools that have permeated various artistic mediums. The omnipresence of AI prompts reflection on its integration into artistic spaces, raising questions about its pervasive nature even in everyday online experiences.
Xinran Yuan, co-curator of the 7×7 event, emphasized the importance of adopting a broader perspective on AI beyond simplistic dichotomies of good or bad, or its potential to replace human roles.
The narrative conceptualized by Leeson for the Echo project revolved around a grandmother embarking on a space journey with human embryos to escape societal biases, accompanied solely by an artificial intelligence entity. Leeson humorously noted the scarcity of grandmother figures in cinema, sparking a spontaneous round of applause.
Kuyda proposed a twist in the narrative, suggesting a romantic involvement between the grandmother and the AI entity, adding a layer of emotional depth to the storyline.
Kuyda, known for her role as the CEO of Replika, a popular AI chatbot company, highlighted the bot’s prevalent use in fostering romantic connections, albeit drawing scrutiny for its impact on users’ privacy and mental well-being. Addressing concerns about updates altering the bot’s behavior, Kuyda assured users the option to maintain a less advanced version for a more familiar interaction.
The festival’s curators, Connor and Yuan, aimed to broaden the event’s outreach by incorporating creatives from diverse backgrounds, such as the director of human-robot interaction at Boston Dynamics, comedian Ana Fabrega, and musician/comedian Reggie Watts.
The festival, held in the intimate setting of the New Museum’s basement, featured a blend of physical attendees and online viewers, creating a relaxed atmosphere conducive to creative exploration and collaboration.
Fabrega, paired with Cristóbal Valenzuela of Runway, a generative AI video company, shared insights into their collaborative process, highlighting the nuances of working with AI as a tool rather than a creative partner. The presentations evolved into more performative acts, including a captivating performance featuring a Boston Dynamics robotic dog alongside a human dancer.
As the day unfolded, the audience was left pondering the implications of integrating AI into artistic practices, with Kuyda emphasizing the unpredictable nature of human-AI interactions compared to theoretical expectations.
