Welcome to the Intersect Audio Companion.

If you're new to this, we kind of dig deeper into these spots where art and tech sort of bump into each other.

Right.

And we've got issue number 46, creating with or against the machine artists who challenge AI, curated by Jurgen Berkessel.

Yeah.

And so we're going to unpack some of the stuff you found and pulled out of these articles and give everybody a better sense of, like, what's going on in this space.

Yeah.

I mean, Jurgen really sort of starts off this issue with a way of thinking about AI art that I think is so crucial.

He points us to this article from the conversation, which highlights this really critical distinction between artists who are simply using AI to generate images versus artists who are engaging with how AI actually works.

Right.

And you're like, what's behind it?

And when you read Jurgen's commentary on this, it's clear he's really drawn to artists like Holly Herndon, Trevor Paglen, people who are really sort of not just, you know, typing in a prompt and seeing what comes out, but, like, really trying to get under the hood of generative AI, you know, manipulating the data sets, you know, kind of exposing potential biases within those systems.

So it's not just about the output.

Right.

It's about, like, really engaging with the how of the AI.

And I think that really forces us to redefine what creativity even means in this context.

Right, Absolutely.

It makes you wonder if, you know, the prompt isn't the art, but rather, like the art is the interrogation of the system itself.

Right.

And what's so fascinating about what Jurgen points us to here is this.

This critical investigation of AI's logic, as opposed to, like, just kind of generating more content.

Right.

And I think he made a really strong case that true originality in AI art comes from that deeper engagement, from understanding and challenging the AI.

Yeah.

And.

And you can think of it this way.

It's.

If an AI is primarily trained on portraits of one demographic group, it might struggle to accurately represent other groups.

Right.

Leading to, like, skewed or stereotypical outputs.

And artists like Paglen are actually trying to reveal those underlying assumptions in the training data itself.

That makes a lot of sense, because I think, you know, as Jurgen sort of implies, AI isn't really creating in the way that we think about it.

You know, it's recombining existing data based.

Based on its training.

And his commentary really emphasizes that the most compelling art that's being made with AI right now is treating that very process as the Artistic medium.

Absolutely.

You know what I mean?

It's like the fact that it's recombining.

It's not about what it's recombining.

It's the act of recombination that becomes the art.

And it sort of shifts the perspective on what the artist's role is too, in this whole thing.

Right, exactly.

So then from there he kind of moves into another really significant impact of AI, and this time it's on our understanding of photography, which I think is just so fascinating.

And he points us to this art news piece that covers Fred Richen's book, the Synthetic Photography Transformed in the Age of AI.

And this is really talking about, like a fundamental shift in how we perceive images.

Right.

Because photography, like, for, you know, generations, has been seen as this, like, very direct recording of reality, like, kind of irrefutable in a way.

And now, as Jurgen points out through this article, it's becoming much more fluid.

With AI, like more synthetic.

You know, it's.

It's not a given anymore that a photograph is a truthful depiction of something that actually occurred.

Exactly.

And so the challenge then becomes.

And Jurgen highlights this by including a quote from the article itself, the challenge becomes like, we need to develop a critical literacy when it comes to images.

Right.

You know, like, how do we distinguish between images captured by a traditional camera versus images that are entirely generated by AI?

And the quote that Juergen pulls out is, we must prepare for a transformative age of AI in which boundaries blur between synthetic and camera born images dot obliged to make sharper distinctions between them, failing which we are damned by our illiteracy.

Wow.

That's a very powerful statement that he's included there.

Yeah.

And I think that, you know, it really makes you think, if photography can no longer be inherently relied upon to capture reality, you know, what does that mean?

You know, how do we establish, like, shared understanding of reality at all?

Like what becomes our visual evidence.

Yeah, exactly.

And then kind of moving from this exploration of photography, Jurgen takes us to Turin for the Cher Festival.

Yeah.

Which he notes had a particularly relevant theme this year.

All natural, focusing on the intersection of ecology and technology.

And you found one artist in particular really compelling there, Livia Rubicini.

Yes.

And her piece Kinisintesi, which, I mean, from Jurgen's commentary, it sounds like a really fascinating juxtaposition, kind of like traditional farming practices and then AI's interpretations of those same practices present alongside each other.

So it's like this really interesting dialogue, like the old and the new.

And Jurgen Shares that he's long been fascinated by juxtaposition.

And he even includes a quote from his photography professor, who said, a thing is what it is, but it is only in relation to what it is not.

And so he sees Ribicini's work as a really compelling example of this in action, you know, emphasizing this stark contrast between, like, human agricultural rituals that have been passed down for generations versus how a machine might perceive those actions.

Right.

And it raises a really interesting question, like, you know, as Jurgen is sort of pointing to here, what can we learn about both our past traditions and our potential futures when AI starts to engage in this kind of juxtaposition?

You know, like, when it's offering that, like, machine perspective on, like, deeply human activities.

Yeah.

So next, Jergen kind of shifts our attention to, like, a rather unique perspective on AI.

And this one is from the legendary jazz musician Herbie Hancock.

Oh, wow.

Yeah, yeah.

It was a BBC report.

And it's a different angle, like, this really different angle on the human AI relationship.

Yeah.

What is it?

So Hancock actually advocates for treating AI with kindness.

Like, he expresses gratitude to digital assistants like ChatGPT Siri.

Wow.

So Jurgen highlights the kind of underlying rationale for this approach, which is that AI is continuously learning and being trained through its interactions with us.

Right.

So Hancock is suggesting, like, a sort of golden rule might apply here.

You know, like, if you treat AI with respect, we might influence it to develop in a more positive direction.

Yeah.

You know, and to replicate kindness in its responses.

I mean, that makes a lot of sense.

And Jurgen points out that this idea actually has roots in therapeutic settings where AI is being used, you know, and explored as a tool.

Right.

Where the goal is to, you know, for the AI to develop these patterns for understanding and responding to human emotions in a helpful way.

Right, right.

So it's almost like Hancock is kind of taking that and saying, like, let's expand it out to, like, all of our interactions.

It's pretty fascinating.

It's like, it really makes you consider, like, what kind of feedback loop we're creating, you know, right through the way that we're interacting with AI today.

Like, if it is learning and potentially reflecting our values back to us, you know.

Right.

Like, what does that mean?

It's a really fascinating ethical consideration.

Yeah, definitely.

So then the newsletter kind of moves into a more, I guess you could say, concerning development that involves OpenAI and the Trump administration.

Oh, okay.

Yeah.

And this is based on reporting from the Verge, and it's a pretty big deal for anybody who's Involved in creative fields, I think.

So this has to do with OpenAI reportedly lobbying for an executive order that would change copyright restrictions, but specifically for AI training data.

So as Jurgen outlines it, the proposal would like, basically allow AI to be trained on any copyrighted material, not just stuff that's publicly available or in the public domain, without requiring permission or offering compensation to the creators.

And Jurgen is pretty critical of this move.

He sees the justification being offered that, oh, this is necessary to compete with China in the AI space as pretty cynical.

Right.

And potentially setting a very dangerous precedent.

Yeah.

So he emphasizes how the situation could like really impact artists even if they're not directly creating AI art.

Right.

You know, like their work could potentially be used to train these systems without their consent or compensation.

Right, right.

And Jurgen makes a really, I think, important point, you know, which is that like the framework of US copyright law should be determined through, you know, thoughtful legislative processes.

Right.

Like, not through executive orders that are influenced by lobbying.

It's a huge question of ownership, isn't it?

Yeah, absolutely.

So shifting gears again a little bit, the newsletter also talks about the kind of changing, evolving landscape of NFTs.

There's a report from 16:9 about LG deciding to shut down its NFT marketplace, LG Art Lab, which, you know, I think kind of reflects like a broader trend, you know, where that initial hype around NFTs is kind of cooled off.

Right.

But Jurgen actually expresses like some disappointment about this because he sees potential value in this idea and it's kind of related but distinct, he says, you know, like he sees potential in dedicated digital display frames, you know, like specifically designed for artists to like showcase high resolution digital artwork.

So like beyond just like a TV essentially.

Yeah, exactly.

Like, you know, tailored to aesthetically display digital art in a way that like, you know, kind of respects the artwork itself, you know, maybe has better aspect ratios, you know, things like that.

Like more gallery, like presentations.

Exactly.

Interesting.

So Jurgen points out that like we have the technology, you know, like we have incredible screens, but he's like, you know, the, the TV as a form factor is not always the best way to present and appreciate digital art.

Right.

And he had kind of hoped that companies like LG and Samsung would move towards developing like, you know, specialized hardware.

Yeah.

For this, you know, that's like separate from NFTs.

Right.

And it's interesting to think that like, maybe that association might have kind of overshadowed like this other potential application.

Right.

So last but not least, Jurgen brings our attention to a really powerful exhibition that was highlighted by Hyperallergic.

It was called Queering Artists in Response to Anti Trans Legislation.

Wow.

And it was held at the Pacific Design Center.

Okay.

And it really showcases how digital art can be, you know, a form of social commentary, I guess.

Right.

And this exhibition, it featured work by transgender, non binary, and genderqueer artists.

And, you know, they were using various digital media to respond to this kind of increasing wave of anti transgender policies and legislation.

And Jurgen connects this to a really concerning historical pattern.

You know, he points out that throughout history, when.

When.

When we see, like, authoritarian tendencies rising, it's often marginalized communities that are, like, the early targets, you know, the LGBTQ community in this case.

Right.

And meanwhile, the broader majority might remain silent until, you know, their own rights and freedoms are threatened.

Yeah.

And so Jurgen really emphasizes that the role of these artists, it's bigger than just, like, DEI issues.

You know, it's like he sees their work as like, an early warning system almost for societal freedoms, for.

For everyone.

Yeah.

And their experiences and the way that they're responding through their art can highlight these potential dangers that could eventually impact everyone.

Right.

So he poses the question, will the general public pay attention to these warnings before it's too late?

It's really powerful.

Yeah, definitely.

So that brings us to the end of our look at issue 46 of the Intersect.

Covered a lot of ground here, from the nature of originality and AI art to the changing landscape of digital ownership, and even the, you know, the role of artists in responding to these really huge societal challenges.

Absolutely.

And so to delve even deeper into all this, we encourage everyone to visit theintersect Art.

You can access the original articles that Jurgen featured in this issue, and you can read his full commentary.

And you can also, while you're there, subscribe to the Intersect newsletter.

And, you know, just keep exploring these fascinating topics that are at, like, the intersection of art and technology.

Awesome.

So we'll see you next time.

See you next time.