Want a robot to wash you? This question was posed by the artist group Blast Theory while investigating the ethics of artificial intelligence in systems of care. The Brighton-based collective is on display at AI: Who’s Looking After Me.? “ Science Gallery London (until 20 January) brings together doctors, patients, artists and scientists to explore key issues surrounding AI and care.
“Robotic cleaning is a real possibility in nursing homes,” Blast Theory’s Matt Adams told Artnet News. “There is a tension that you might not want a robot to do something this intimate. You want human contact. , you don’t have to be embarrassed by the embarrassment of others.You have a degree of privacy.There is a tension between impersonal and private meanings.”
Fear and suspicion of AI are growing, raising questions about privacy, artistic authenticity, and human redundancy. Avoiding easy solutions, this exhibit explores the complex benefits and risks of artificial intelligence in modern life. “AI is here,” Siddharth Kajulia, director of Science His Gallery London, told his Artnet News. “It’s neither dystopian nor hopeful for the future. It’s present and messy.”
The gallery is affiliated with King’s College London and combines a diverse knowledge base. “To tackle increasingly complex social issues, we need to bring together different perspectives,” said Kajulia. “Projects that feel good and messy are collaborations between patient groups, medical technologists, and artists. ”
Installation view, Wesley Goatley,
The new forgotten technology (2022).
Courtesy of Wesley Goatley. Photo courtesy of George Trode.
Projects include sound artist Wesley Goatley’s immersive installation about a deprecated voice assistant, and Fast Familiar’s exploration of the love potential of machines that have learned all about love on the internet.for vineDr. Oya Seriktutan, Head of the Social AI & Robotics Lab at the King’s School of Engineering, collaborated with Soft Robot Studio’s Air Giants and Kings students Jeffrey Chong, Theodore Lamarche and Bowen Liu. The result is a “cuddle” robot that interacts emotionally with its visitors.
“I’m interested in non-verbal communication between people,” Celiktutan told Artnet News. “I’m interested in how we can mimic that with robots and see how robots can clearly build trust with humans. This robot doesn’t really resemble humans, but this basic The shape allows us to communicate and connect using non-verbal actions.”
In stark contrast to the violent images of robots that tend to be stereotyped in movies, vine Brings trust and contact. “One of the big questions is, ‘How can we make robots more approachable?'” Chong says. “Also, what can a robot do to make you trust it and want to interact with it? What kind of behavior can you demonstrate to make them think that?”
vine‘s adorable appearance raises aesthetic problems in robotics. “Soft robotics is interesting because it looks cute,” says Lamarche. “I think people are often afraid of AI because it replaces jobs, but soft robotics is gaining a lot of interest in the medical field, where there is a shortage of human resources. I have an example. It can also be used by people with dementia and has a gentle soothing light that keeps people in touch physically and mentally. “
Installation view “AI: Who’s Looking After Me?” Science Gallery London, King’s College London, June 21, 2023 – January 20, 2024 ©George Torode.
Artist Mimi Ọnụọha delves behind the scenes of AI, focusing on the human workforce that makes it possible. End users may view AI as independent of humans, but many systems require a huge amount of manual tagging. Ọnụọha The future is here! It explores the workspaces of a crowdsourced workforce that operates primarily remotely from bedrooms, vestibules and cafés in the Global South.
“It’s very boring and intense,” Ọnụọha told Artnet News. “It’s an important job, but it doesn’t get paid the same as an AI expert or researcher. AI saves time, but whose time does it save?” He points out the similarities between distribution and the injustices of long-running industries such as fast fashion. “These are old patterns of labor structures, but the purpose is in this new technology.”
This does not call for changing our relationship with these technologies, but for a considered approach to their use. “We need to add a little friction to the way people approach these tools,” she said. “What is this ecosystem? And how do we want it to be? What type of power difference are you considering? I think it would be great if people could consider it.It’s past the point where it’s thrown away.The question is how to think strategically.”
Mimi Onuoha The future is here! (2019). Courtesy of Mini Onuoha.
While most projects focus on human relationships with AI, Blast Theory brings a third species into the conversation: domestic cats.for cat royale, the group, its collaborators, animal behavior specialists, and welfare personnel set up a controlled experiment. For 72 of the 3 hours of activity, the cats were observed interacting with a robotic arm that offered a ‘game’ every 6 minutes, such as dragging a feather or throwing a ball. The system gradually learned each cat’s response, calculated each game’s happiness score, and adapted its offerings.
Of all the animals, cats added an interesting side due to their standoff nature. “Cats are notorious for being domineering, assertive and not following orders,” says Adams. “Among the animals we are most closely related to, there was something interesting about cats. They are not going to be tricked into accepting anything.”
The resulting video raises questions about the human role. Naturally, this kind of care system in the home can replace the owner. “There were moments when the robot was playing a game with the cat, and it felt like the cat was enjoying the game more than playing with a human,” Adams said. “Humans are kind of a distracting, confusing element. Cats want to prey, but when humans are there they become noisy and emotionally heavy. Powerful and potentially pet owners, which of course is a threat to those of us who want to be special.”
The exhibition reflects the good and evil that already exist within our fabric and serves as a timely reminder of how intertwined AI is with humans. “At the end of the day, robots are what we build,” Chong said. “I think scary robots are so popular in the media because they reflect the fear we have of other humans. It reflects the dangers inherent in humanity.” doing.”
Kahjuria agrees with this view, emphasizing the importance of questioning underlying biases in AI systems. “There are a lot of emerging technologies that are deliberately presented to feel magical and stylish,” he said. “But in the end, all AI is the result of human beings making decisions in the moment, and such meetings usually involve certain types of people and certain power relationships. These conversations embed values and biases into the products we mass produce, and I hope this show will remind people of how human this is.”
“AI: Who’s Looking After Me?” is on display at Science Gallery London, King’s College London until 20 January 2024.
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