Here’s my game, Good Samaritan!

In my project, I used the technique of “Abstraction: Experiment with shapes, colors, and forms to convey emotions or impressions” for my visuals. I tried to convey 5 different emotions. Some simple, some complex.

I described the emotions I wanted to depict to ChatGPT which then crafted prompts for me to give to DALL-E to create. When DALL-E gave me the images I didn’t settle on the first ones generated. Instead, I kept pushing the generator to create more, asking it to be “more extreme” and such until it produced something that I felt matched the emotions I was trying to convey. I did not specify realism or animation.

I got inspiration from multiple pieces of media I saw online with different “vibes”. For example, a video I saw online that simply depiction older looking photos of playgrounds with background music with a caption along the lines of “The good ol’ days”. The video made me feel nostalgic, but also sad, because it reminded me that I’m not a kid anymore. My life used to be so good, and yet during that time of my life all I wished for was to be a grown up. I will never be able to experience those things again. They now just live in my memory.
Is Ai capable of depicting an image that expresses this emotion?

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1R-b7I5FuF69WJA_JzbHPhHArEaAgAiLJbsGRyvek5Kk/edit?usp=sharing

Welcome to Starlight Haven, a world shaped like a puffy star. This celestial realm exists in a futuristic era where humanity has ventured far beyond its humble origins. Here, the fusion of organic life and digital intelligence brings forth a new era of coexistence, guided by the stars.

Era and Setting:
The landscape of Starlight Haven is diverse, featuring lush valleys dotted with bioluminescent flora, futuristic cities, and cascading waterfalls that flow into star-lit lakes. The inhabitants blend technology seamlessly into their environments, creating cities that gleam with crystalline structures and metallic textures, yet harmonize with the planet’s natural beauty.

Environment:
Starlight Haven’s climate is a dance of extremes. The valleys maintain a temperate climate, nurtured by AI-driven weather control systems, ensuring agriculture thrives year-round. The northern peaks, shimmering in blues and purples, experience eternal winters, where robotics sustain life and provide heat and shelter. Coastal regions bathe in perpetual twilight, their skies painted in vivid pinks and greens, thanks to the luminescent microorganisms that inhabit the surrounding seas.

Food and Culture:
The cuisine of Starlight Haven mirrors the planet’s vibrant hues and futuristic flair. Puff pastries infused with iridescent fruit fillings, star-shaped vegetables grown in AI-managed fields, and colorful liquids served in crystalline flutes are staples at every meal. Cultural practices center on the deep-rooted symbiosis between humans and AI, with festivals celebrating each region’s unique blend of nature and technology. The inhabitants embrace the pursuit of knowledge, creativity, and innovation as vital components of their way of life.

Economy:
Economically, Starlight Haven thrives on the export of its AI innovations and abundant natural resources. The economy is sustained through a blend of automated manufacturing, digital agriculture, and bioengineering. Key resources include nanomaterials sourced from the depths of the planet’s core and rare minerals mined from rocky outcrops. The regions operate in a cooperative network, sharing resources and technological advancements to maintain the delicate balance of the world.

Education:
Education is a lifelong pursuit, with every citizen equipped with an AI companion that serves as a personal tutor, guiding them through a curriculum tailored to their interests and the planet’s needs.

Technology:
Human-AI interactions are the lifeblood of Starlight Haven. Artificial intelligence permeates every aspect of life, from personal companions embedded in clothing to large-scale city management systems. The citizens, a blend of half-human, half-robot, embody this union, with subtle, seamless robotic enhancements that augment their natural abilities.

Uniqueness:
Starlight Haven stands as a testament to human ingenuity and AI collaboration. Its uniqueness lies in the delicate balance it strikes between organic life and artificial intelligence. The planet thrives on innovation, where the line between biology and technology is blurred, creating a society that celebrates the endless possibilities of a world where humans and AI evolve together.

Explore the world of Starlight Haven through a digital codex!

https://dtc-wsuv.org/tduran24/starlight-haven-codex/index.html

https://dtc-wsuv.org/tduran24/tduran-art-research-project/
Webpage design in progress

https://youtu.be/zCng1jDqNN8

I chose to do a video that is more of an overview of the world because the GPT used to create characters but after I switched the settings to make images in the 16:9 ratio it stopped producing the characters it used to.

I used ElevenLabs for the voice over audio in the voice of “Nicole” as I thought her deeper raspy voice was more fitting. I used Stable Audio to create the music. I used DALL-E for images and Runway for the movement in the images.

A challenge that I faced was not being able to increase the volume of sounds as I didn’t know how. The voice over is really quiet because it’s over the music. I generated some audio sounds using Audiogen App that I couldn’t use. I made sounds for the water and the city, but I didn’t know how to edit the sounds in since the voice over the music sounded wonky, I didn’t want to add more to it. Another challenge was not being able to use all of the script I generated for the video. I had a script describing each scene, but the voice over was too slow for talking. The entire script was about a minute thirty, but my video is only fifty seconds long.

I didn’t know much about generative art until reading this article. It is fascinating to see how people use unexpected tools to create art.

I liked Amy Goodchilds “Genuary Day 4” that she created using noise for values. The way she used colors and shades within the noise makes the piece look 3D like. It is very beautiful and a perfect example of how she explains noise can be used to create organic looking shapes.

I thought that her p5js Cyclic Cellular automaton that she made using a set of “rules” was cool. The piece looked similar to the growing art of mold, which in a way also uses a set of rules for creation, only they are organic.

I really liked the main idea implicated in automatism in that the subconscious is used as a “random” source for input. As Amy points out in the article, “Thinking about that balance of control present in many generative artworks, between the artist and the computer… perhaps the artist and their own subconscious can be thought of the same way. When we have ideas, where do they come from?” I’ve had thoughts about how we are similar to computers in that we can generate “new” ideas based off the loads of information we receive. However, an idea is never truly “original” as the ideas always stem from a combination of information that we have received from other stimuli. I have watched a video on Netflix about “how to increase your creativity” and one of the suggested ways is using a similar form of automatism. After doing this exercise, you can use the creations from your own subconscious as a source for inspiration. Very interesting way to create art.

Interactive button HTML

https://dtc-wsuv.org/tduran24/interactive-button/

Interactive art HTML

https://dtc-wsuv.org/tduran24/interactive-art/

Generative animation HTML

working on it!

https://dtc-wsuv.org/tduran24/ai-band-html/

Here is our band Celestial Echos website. The website features some of the band’s merchandise.

The images and the text were the only additions to the website outside of the AI generated code.

I recently designed a website for my web design class, so for the GPT exercise I decided to ask the GPT to create a website similar to mine so that I could directly compare what the GPT could do vs. what I could do. All the GPT could create was extremely basic structures with very bland designs. Nothing compared to my design. I specifically included language that I felt described my own website design such as the word “colorful” and “simple”.

Here is the comparison:

      AI generated HTML

             My HTML design

While the website it made was very boring and not useful in itself, I feel that AI can be very useful with mundane and tedious coding that can greatly speed along project times for software, games, apps, and web developments. I believe AI can also proofread your code to catch any mistakes to prevent any bugs before projects go live. While I feel that AI can be useful for project development speed, I am concerned that those who do not know how to use AI will have a harder time competing with those who do. Since simple coding can be generated, those who are skillful in doing it by hand may not be as sought for compared to those who can develop all their code within minutes using AI. I recently saw an ad for an AI code generating app that advertised how a worker left work early because they finished their project compared to her colleague who was not done yet and still working. As we have seen layoffs because of companies using AI for writing, editing, and translation, there will also be layoffs due to companies using AI for coding. And because coding isn’t a personal talent that belongs to someone, there probably won’t be as many restrictions for using AI for coding as there will be for using AI for voice generation or writing.

I personally am interested in a career in web development, however I feel that in order to be “better than” or more appealing to employers I need to learn how to use AI to my advantage to outperform those who I will be competing with in the job market.

For my GPT video sequence, I will be capturing the beautiful planet, its creatures, landscape, and some daily interactions of the cybernetic AI entities that inhabit the planet in my GPT. The last half of the sequence will gradually show the different life cycles of the creatures on the planet, and the interconnecting relationship of all organic inhabitants.

To capture the planet, landscape, creatures, and daily interaction, I will be using a birds eye/drone view to capture these scenes. These scenes will move through the landscape to capture the next scene. The last half of the sequence will follow the creatures through their life cycles, eventually showing a dramatic connection of all organic life. All scenes featuring landscape and creatures will take place during the “daytime”. I imagine the soundtrack to include only sound effects appropriate for the scene. I do not want words or narration in my sequence so that viewers can focus on the details of the scenes.

I think (just like the invention of any new technology) that AI will be used as a tool to produce cinema at higher quality and faster speeds, but humans will ultimately still be needed to do that work. Before digital animation was created, live-action and stop-motion films were the main tools used to make cinema. Animation has definitely made it so actors don’t need to film shots, but they are still needed for voice acting and people are still needed to create the animation. Instead of this technology taking over productions, it simply made a different genre of film and made more jobs for those with these specific skills. Photographs, digital editing, and recordings have allowed the immortality of actors and celebrities as their pictures and voice can still be used in any media. We are currently in a period where we aren’t sure of all the capabilities that AI can do, which is why those who are in cinema and film creation are worried. However, with the effort that people are going through with striking, and the overall conversation around the morality of AI, regulations will be created so that there are still jobs for people and actors will be compensated for any impersonations.

Holly Willis argued a fear toward the AI technology “… the ability for anyone – amateurs and professionals alike – to create a screenplay and conjure the likeness of an existing actor means that the skills once specific to writers and the likeness that an actor once could uniquely call his or her own are now readily available – with questionable quality, to be sure – to anyone with access to these free online tools.” Just like with any other technology that allows for creation, these AI technologies will be monetized. So, while they are technically available for use by anyone, not everyone will have enough funding to afford the technology to create at home cinema. This class itself pays $12 a month just to use Runway and creation is limited! No one is going to make ground-breaking cinema with these restrictions. And I personally like that the playing field is now “leveled” with AI technology. I like that someone can be creative at home without needing to go through the route of high-cost college, or networking through Hollywood in order to have access to such creative technology.

It took me a while to get an idea of what I wanted to create in my custom fictional GPT. I thought of fictional worlds that I enjoy, as well as asked my friends to see different perspectives. I took inspiration from “Super Mario Galaxy” and “Bee and Puppycat” though the GPT was unable to create it in an overall cute style without being 2D looking.

This GPT, named Starlight Haven, is designed to assist users in generating images and descriptions of a unique fictional world. This world is a planet shaped like a puffy star, inhabited by diverse creatures. Some are made of light, while others are cute star fragments. There are creatures that float like butterflies or jellyfish, and some are composed of figures and swirls. The inhabitants are half-human, half-robot characters, designed to appear mostly human but with distinct robotic features that blend seamlessly into their anatomy, creating a unique and futuristic appearance. These characters combine whimsical charm with futuristic elements, rendered in an adorable and approachable manner. The food consists of puffy shapes and colorful liquids. The planet’s color scheme includes shades of blue, white, pink, purple, black, and green. Starlight Haven will use a poetic and descriptive tone to bring this world to life, providing users with vivid, imaginative visuals and narratives that capture the ethereal beauty and magical essence of this star-shaped planet and its inhabitants, ensuring the inhabitants are depicted in a way that highlights their unique, half-human, half-robot nature.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1qAg1tDjQ38o4hac9Y2EDC3hGG3JZ2dk3oZF6keMvRJI/edit?usp=sharing

For my AI creative writing exercise, I first tried to develop a fictional story using the exquisite corpse style of writing. After a few back and fourths I realized that I am not very creative when it comes to fictional writing. Nothing that the GPT generated sparked creativity on my end, which made the story bland. I then tried to create poetry using the cut-up technique, and that was a bit more promising. I took a few lyrics from two random songs from my playlists, “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls, and “Plush” by Stone Temple Pilots. I then asked the GPT to generate a poem using the lyrics I provided it. The poem that the AI generated used a lot of rhymes that still wasn’t going in a direction I found interesting. I then decided to ask it to write a song using the same method and lyrics I provided it. The song it generated was much like the poem in that it used a lot of rhymes that felt overused and at times did not make sense. I proceeded to continue to work with the generator to improve the song it provided. I noticed that with each tweak the direct lyrics from the songs become unrecognizable in the AI’s re-wording. Now I am in no way creative musically, so unfortunately this will not get any further than lyrics. But here is the song, after much deletion of anything mentioning the “night” “moon” or “whispers”/”echos” and my own editing.

Verse 1:                                                                                           Our bodies stuck in between lust and passion.
Though, with everything meant to be broken;                                This moment, a fleeting taste of eternity.                                           A world where truths dress in the skins of our fears.

Chorus:                                                                                             Your truths, a series of closed doors down a hallway of mirrors.       Your dummy caught on your thrown of my affluence.                        Your concern, a lamp with no bulb.                                      Bleeding, the product of broken skin.

Verse 2:
Tomorrow’s lies, a spoonful of breakfast.
A hook on a line, caught in the flesh of deceit.                      Together, we embrace in inflamed choreography.
A dance with shadows cast by the fire of our making.

Chorus:
Your indifference, an insidious drip in my IV.
My warrant is your disdain.                                                                  When all that’s known dissolves.
Bleeding, a friend I didn’t know I had for so long.

Bridge:
Tears that won’t fall, a drought in the desert of humility.
A battle in the silence where only ego stands tall.
Our reflection, a mosaic pieced together from fragments of the void, No longer recognizable by my devoted eyes.

Chorus:
Your apathy, a ghost wandering in daylight.                                Stitches unraveling across the tapestry of our being,                thread by thread.                                                                    Bleeding, the only existence of our commonality.

Outro:
This moment, an open can of despondency.                                      Your liaison, an expected surprise.
Bleeding, all I have left.

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Abstract

“Convergence of Emotions” is an innovative art project that marries traditional sculptural techniques with cutting-edge artificial intelligence. This multi-sculpture initiative aims to explore the depth and diversity of human emotions through air-dry clay models, vividly brought to life with acrylic paints. Each sculpture is a unique embodiment of an emotion, conceptualized with the assistance of AI technology. This project stands as a testament to the harmonious blend of human creativity and AI’s analytical prowess, setting a new paradigm in artistic expression and exploration.

Introduction

Art has long been a conduit for expressing the inexpressible – emotions. In “Convergence of Emotions,” I endeavor to push the boundaries of traditional sculpture by incorporating artificial intelligence as a collaborative tool. This multi-sculpture project does not merely aim to represent emotions but to encapsulate the essence of each feeling in a tangible form. The use of air-dry clay and acrylic paint allows for a versatile and accessible medium, conducive to experimentation and expression.

Conceptualization with AI

The journey of each sculpture begins with an idea, a spark ignited by the complex spectrum of human emotions. Artificial intelligence, in this phase, acts as a creative partner, processing and interpreting my conceptual inputs. By leveraging AI’s capacity for generative design, I can visualize abstract emotions in concrete forms. This collaboration results in a series of preliminary digital models, each a unique representation of an emotional state.

The Role of AI in Planning

Structural planning is critical in bringing these sculptures to life. AI assists in creating a meticulous project planner, outlining each phase of the sculpting process. This planner includes timelines for sculpting, drying, painting, and finalizing each piece, ensuring a streamlined workflow. Additionally, AI algorithms help in estimating material requirements and managing resources, thereby optimizing the creative process.

Sculpting Process

The actualization of these sculptures is a hands-on process, relying on the tactile qualities of air-dry clay. This medium offers a direct and intimate connection between the artist’s hands and the emerging form. Each sculpture is carefully molded, with attention to texture and form, ensuring that the physical creation resonates with the intended emotion. The drying process is managed to retain the integrity of each sculpture, preparing them for the next phase.

Painting with Acrylics

The application of acrylic paints brings vibrancy and depth to the sculptures. Color theory plays a significant role in this stage, with each hue carefully chosen to complement the emotion being depicted. Techniques such as blending, layering, and texturing with paints add complexity and nuance, further enhancing the emotional expression of each piece.

AI’s Role in Refinement

Even in the stages of refinement, AI continues to play a crucial role. By providing feedback on color schemes, textural elements, and overall aesthetics, AI aids in fine-tuning each sculpture. This symbiotic relationship between artist and AI ensures that each piece is not only an artistic creation but also a product of intelligent analysis and feedback.

Conclusion

“Convergence of Emotions” is more than an art project; it is a journey into the depths of human emotion, guided by the light of artificial intelligence. This collaboration showcases the potential of AI in enhancing artistic creativity, providing a new lens through which we can view and understand our emotions. As these sculptures take their final form, they stand as a testament to the power of combining traditional artistry with modern technology, creating a new frontier in the world of art.

What is Missing in the Omega Team Doomsday Scenario?

What’s missing from the Omega Team doomsday scenario is a physical doomsday. This is not a traditional doomsday scenario with an atomic bomb explosion or an apocalypse occurring that wipes out the human population and destroys societal structures. Ironically, the majority of the population in this scenario have a higher quality of life compared to before the doomsday. Also, because the needs of the population are being met worldwide, it is difficult to say morally if the Omega Team is an antagonist.

What Went Wrong?

What went wrong in this fictional world is a monopoly. But not one that was limited to business. It was one that spread to governments worldwide. The Omega Team became the government as they insidiously manipulated the population’s political views and rigged political candidates.

For example, as explained in “Gaining Power” section, in order to dominate global news networks, the Omega Team had to be the first to get to any “newsworthy” stories and broadcast them through their media company. They achieved this by constant surveillance “via real-time monitoring of the internet”. Being the first to break stories allowed the Omega Team to win over the trust of the population. Though the Omega Team was able to break important stories such as political corruption, the privacy of the population was comprised. If the population had found out that they were being constantly surveyed, would they still trust the media company that was being controlled by the Omega’s?

What do We Need to do to Avoid These Undesirable Outcomes?

To avoid a doomsday such as in the Omega Tale, we need to set international regulations of AI before such ultra-intelligent machines are created. Without international regulation, there is no way to prosecute such actions when they occur. I am personally not educated about the laws and regulations of monopolies, but that is also something that needs to have strict regulations to prevent them from occurring.

Personal Thoughts

The maintainability of such a utopia may not be realistic. Machines cannot become better and make new inventions without the creative idea input from humans, and humans cannot become better without looking from other human ideas. Just like how the machine observed its old code and used it as a template to make new and better code, humans look to each other to make ourselves better and re-write our “code”. The machine can only go as far as they are programmed. If they surpass human technological capabilities, and no human exists with the knowledge of the computers programming code, there will be a cap of its capabilities and it will no longer be able to create new innovations. Top of Form

I think the monopoly of the story is a likely real-world scenario, but the goodwill and world peace are not. I have never been one to agree with a utopian societal goal, as basically achieved in this scenario. I feel that conflict and working towards solutions are what make us human, even if those solutions take centuries to come to. If everything in our lives is controlled by this ultra-intelligent AI to the point of achieving a utopia, how are we any different than ants living off a sugar factory? I think some would argue that this scenario is moral in that it brings world peace, but I don’t think such a utopian is human nor sustainable.

Also curious to know what would happen to this utopia if say… the Omega Teams internet went out?

I’m interested in learning about AI because I am majoring in DTC and AI is a major tool used in coding and other such digital features. I know nothing about AI, so I am excited to learn about the many ways AI can be used to help create original work, as well as the ways to spot AI creations in everyday media.