Link to slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1P3Y2gwRw7T8v3TdYq5AH00DeQ0QfzeUYA7p6mK82_wk/edit?usp=sharing

With this series, I sought to represent the body and ways of control, and the many forms it can take in a more or less photorealistic style. I am fascinated by the limits and constraints of the human body and how we try various ways we try to overcome them. These images explore the innate limitations of the human body and how we feel controlled by them, as well as how parts of the human body can feel controlled, either by nature or society.

First is a human uterus surrounded by metal and chains. For many, a uterus often feels like a burden—with it comes an often painful menstrual cycle that returns month after month until menopause, and societal expectations to bear children. More recently, debates over reproductive rights and healthcare have made having a uterus, for me at least, feel like a chain by which much of society seeks to control my life, my choices, and my health—a very uncomfortable situation.

Next, I envisioned control in the form of surveillance and monitoring. Ankle monitors exist, so I wondered, “what is the most intimately horrifying place to have such a monitoring device on or in your body?” and what resulted was an image of multiple monitors in the spine, sandwiched between vertebrae where spinal disks normally would be. Can you imagine having your location constantly monitored by devices in your largest bone structure that cannot be removed without significant (and likely risky) surgery?

Returning to the uterus and control is a bloody menstrual pad with a horrifying monster emerging from the blood. I kept thinking about how menstruation sucks so I decided to explore that particular vein of thought a little more with its own image.

Also on the topic of blood is dialysis, another way in which control is exerted on the human body. Dialysis is a life-sustaining treatment that consists of a large machine drawing and filtering the blood when the kidneys are unable to, and then returning the filtered blood to the body. Dialysis patients usually go to treatment three times a week, with each session lasting about four hours. This is a significant amount of time taken for this treatment and patients are dependent on the machine to stay alive, another form of control.

Last is a much more broad, thematic image of control. In thinking about the human body, I become more conscious of the fact that our bodies are controlled by our brain—all internal, but another example of control nonetheless.

After reading the essay above, discuss your personal concerns about AI in the visual arts and in visual culture in general.

My biggest concern about AI in the visual arts is copyright violation and unauthorized use of intellectual property in generative AI models. If a generative AI model generates an image visually very similar to an artist’s original artwork (to the point where tracing is at least in part, very obvious) that they did not consent to feeding to the AI model, that could be considered theft. I have to wonder—why didn’t generative AI models stick to just extracting data from art under Creative Commons or public domain? I imagine that could have prevented a lot of their current legal battles, and respecting copyrights and intellectual property rights is a policy students are expected to abide by in our own DTC program here at WSU Vancouver.

At least for me, part of the appeal of hand-drawn art is that it is hand-drawn, often requiring a complex set of skills the artist has developed over time. Generative AI lowers the barrier of entry for people so they are able to generate an end result (artwork) while bypassing the traditional, often time-consuming process of original creation that requires a level of skill that also takes time to develop. Is this fair or ethical? That is a question that is very difficult to definitively answer. I think AI has its uses and can be very helpful, but that should not take precedence over the rights of traditional artists.

One of the arguments detailed in the essay regarding photography is that it “automated image-making in ways that were free from human interpretation.” I more or less agree with this, and as such, photography is regarded as a medium of art separate from hand-drawn art. Generative AI also automates image-making, but is not free from human interpretation as the datasets it draws upon are largely human interpretation.

What can artists/creators do with AI tools to address or respond to these personal and collective concerns about machine creativity?

Just as photography is considered a separate category from hand-drawn art, it would be ideal if the same distinction could be made between AI art and hand-drawn art. That said, I have seen many people try to pass AI art as hand-drawn art, especially when selling it. There seems to be an implicit understanding that part of the economic value of art is the time, effort, and skill used to create it—to say to a potential customer/consumer of your art that you took time, effort, and skill as required in hand-drawn art and the art is priced accordingly, when in fact you did not take that time, effort, and skill is indeed deceptive.

I have also read about Glaze and Nightshade, two tools artists can use to combat the extraction of their art into a generative model’s dataset. Glaze protects against style mimicry, while Nightshade changes data within digital art/rendition that deceives the AI model into seeing something different from what the human eye sees.

Mark Amerika is a digital remix artist. What is your response to this kind of experimental writing with AI tools? 

I am familiar with remixing as a form of art involving audio and visual mediums, but using AI (specifically ChatGPT) as a kind of conversation partner to have a “call-and-response meta-remix jam session,” as Amerika puts it, is entirely new to me. That said, it makes perfect sense—ChatGPT was built to communicate with users, and it’s certainly plausible that art, regardless of medium, can be born from this communication. I find the concepts of “reciprocal influence” and “hybrid mind” very interesting, as it ties along with how we create and influence media, which in turn influences us. The innuendo Amerika used to describe the interactions between himself, ChatGPT, and Clarice Lispector’s works was not lost on me—I found it incredibly funny, but it also made a lot of sense. I myself am quite proud of my skills in writing and initially dismissed ChatGPT when I first heard about it, thinking that surely it would not come anywhere close to truly professional writing anytime soon. Now, I am quite impressed by how it is able to adapt based on the input you feed it, and I am convinced of its utility to assist with brainstorming, planning, actualizing, and editing for writing projects. It all depends on how you use it and whether you know how to use it to maximize its strengths for what you are trying to achieve with it.

How does Amerika understand the creative relationship with a GPT for creative writing or any kind of creative work?

Amerika uses ChatGPT like a sounding board, conversation partner, another version of himself (by feeding it samples of his work) and basically like another individual to talk with or bounce ideas off of entirely. From what he writes about his experiences with it, it is clear that he sees it as a tool, an extension of the human mind, and a DJ table that he can freely use to conceptualize, synthesize, and actualize ideas for virtually any creative endeavor, although ChatGPT seems to do writing best.

What is missing in the Omega Team scenario?

What was made clear towards the end of the scenario (although present from the very beginning) was the lack of long-term planning by the Omega Team upon achieving success after success with Prometheus. They achieved world unity under a single power, all starting with creating an AI (Prometheus) that could program AI systems, but they had no way of knowing how successful they would be when they just started. It seems like they just went with the flow, going along with whatever opportunities arose. There was also no clearly-defined central leadership within the Omega Team, as they were always referred to as “the Omega Team,” without any mention of specific individuals and their roles within the team. Looking at the story as a whole, I guess this makes sense as the individual becomes less and less important in favor of a single unified body as the scenario progresses. Another part of long-term planning that was absent was any concerns about ethics, which is arguably the biggest concern we have about AI in our world today.

What went wrong?

After multiple successes in various areas, the Omega Team became complacent with Prometheus’ choices and suggestions. This resulted in what the Omega Team might consider an optimal utopian future, but is really more dystopian as the Omega Team became dependent upon Prometheus. They acted upon Prometheus’ will and were basically controlled by it, and all of humanity effectively became puppets in turn.

What do we need to do to avoid the undesirable outcomes and maximize potential desirable outcomes?

Avoiding undesirable outcomes and maximizing potential desirable outcomes requires careful planning that should be re-evaluated regularly. Alongside this is the critical need to center humans in every conversation, and clearly define the goals of every action. If something is for general human benefit, people must understand exactly what that benefit is. Any ethical concerns will be addressed equitably, which highlights the importance of ethics committees. These committees may halt the speed of action and progress in many cases, but they are absolutely necessary in order to protect all human interests.

For my video, I am thinking of creating the scenes from my previous visuals into a more in depth sequence of showing my fictional world from the perspective of a character living in this world and following them into a day in their daily life sort of montage. I plan to create this video following this character from the start of their day until the end of their day. With this storyline I will be able to show different activities and scenarios that are a part of this fictional world and how these characters would live in their environment and have adapted.

As for the visual style, I want to remain consistent with my previous visuals but focus more on capturing the life moments of my character from the start to end of their day such as what their school day looks like, social activities, food consumption with AI maintained facilities, and how AI is used at home. I think by following my character along with their day it will help someone understand the environment, food, culture, technology, and uniqueness of my world. I plan to end my video from the perspective of my character attending a cultural or societal event and show how the community of the Kingdom of Glacium adapted into events and activities with their living environment.

For the soundtrack I want to have a soft background audio that is played in the background that fits the theme to my world so something that is soft and light. This soundtrack would be able to help with showing how magical the visual atmosphere of my world is and showing its beauty in its landscape. I’m thinking of something that blends traditional instruments with futuristic electronic sounds, creating a sense of awe and innovation for the visuals of my kingdom.
Sound effects would help represent the world in a better way which I plan to use by representing the outside sounds with the snowy and cold environment with sound effects such as crystal-clear chimes and echoes to mimic the sound of ice sculptures and buildings, enhancing the visual experience of Glacium’s architecture. Sound effects for the indoor food facility will help show the stability of the food production in this world. I plan to show human interactions with AI so something like mechanical sounds for AI movements or operations, contrasted with the human voices and laughter, can highlight the collaboration between humans and robots in Glacium and how they work together to help thrive the Kingdom of Glacium.

The main risk in AI Cinema with many artists is the fear that due to AI developing at a rapid pace, will lead AI to eventually become something that produces high quality material, and will lead to AI replacing jobs in this industry. AI taking over jobs in this industry is the most feared as it is an industry where creativity plays a key role in the outcome of a project. Although this fear is among those in the cinema and entertainment industry I think the usage of AI will not eliminate and replace all those who work in the industry but AI will develop to be used quite frequently as it can help in saving time and money with the production for something such as a film.

The creative work in the film and entertainment industry cannot just solely be replaced by AI as I think it will not be as good as having the creativity as humans do, AI does not have that same human spark touch with direction to new creative projects. There is still so much to go with AI and a quote from the article ‘Of course it’s disturbing’: will AI change Hollywood forever? said “it’s going to tell stories from the perspective of its programmers, essentially, then you have to worry about the lack of diversity among the programmers”. This quote definitely touches on the subject of how AI will generate outcomes based on what it is programmed to do, and how we as public perhaps do not know just how much diversity is behind these programmers. In the scenario of everything being replaced with AI, just how much would be shifted to one narrative versus having actual humans who lead away with the development of a production knowing that there is diversity behind a project and teamwork.

I do think there will be some cuts in jobs due to AI but overall having a successful industry cannot survive solely on AI, what we consume still needs the touch and management of human input. Ideas and time consummation will definitely be lifted by AI but it will help the workflow of a person’s job be easier and help get stuff done more quicker. The usage of AI in the industry needs to be well monitored as well as the contribution of humans toward the AI usage to be able produce something that makes cinema what it is now. Having laws and rights that protects artists from AI overtaking and over stepping into an industry will help protect artists as well as making sure everything gets properly credited.

I think that the accessibility for AI tools, especially for independent artists is great as it will allow for artists who do not have the same major resources in the industry to have opportunities to be able to showcase their work. I think AI can help assist in having the chance to grow and develop skills for artists in the film industry as it can be a chance where artists can be able to experiment with their skills.

Story summary: In the cyberpunk city of Neo Edo, the Yurei Hackers, led by the mysterious “Kage” and masked like mythical Oni, challenge the Kengō Corp’s economic dominance with a significant digital heist, redirecting funds to the city’s oppressed. In retaliation, the Kengō Corp, under the command of “Hanzo,” who merges samurai tradition with futuristic cybernetics, aims to eliminate the hacker threat with their elite Cyber-Samurai. This escalating conflict captures the attention of Neo Edo’s citizens, who realize that the battle’s outcome will dictate their city’s destiny. The confrontation, merging historical elegance with future brutality, is not just a fight for survival but for the very soul of Neo Edo, pitting the Yurei’s fight for the downtrodden against Kengō’s vision of order and progress.

For my video, I wanted to create a video in the style of an older movie. All my images are in black and white, which gives it that older movie feeling. If possible, I might also try to add a grain effect to give a little more to the aesthetic. As for sound, I want to try and keep it simple; I might add some narration but not throughout the whole video. For sound effects, I plan to add sounds that fit the image and what is occurring. For example, one of my images is a busy market, so I want to add the sounds of a busy market (voices, people walking around, food cooking, etc.). For music, I want to try and find something that is either a mix of traditional Japanese string music or tech music for the cyberpunk aesthetic. If not this, then I will only use traditional Japanese string music.

I plan on focusing on a lost AI companion that has the form of a red panda, looking for its human, a woman who is so focused on her work, so that she does not notice her personal companion is missing. The two get split up when the AI companion gets distracted by a bioluminescent butterfly during a walk with the women in a bioluminescent forest. The AI companion goes on a short adventure trying to get back to the women. The woman is found at a vending machine and when the AI companion meets back up with her, she never realized the AI companion was missing. 

The visuals I will try to attempt are going to be a cinematic scope to create a widescreen to capture the environment of the world. I want to achieve high definition photos in order to generate the video. The lighting will be dynamic and adaptive, in order to set the mood in the story. The sound will be a futuristic synth wave to further enhance the futuristic world.

The moment in time that I want to capture for visual #3 is the school that children and teens go to once a day in my world, “Ecliptix.” To give some context and backstory, the school that kids attend is only held once a year, and all the information that they need is essentially uploaded into their brains over the course of about 8 hours. This is done once a year instead of all at once to allow the kids to absorb the information and not feel overwhelmed. Human kids have the ability to learn this way as well because of a chip that is inserted into their brains at birth. They basically go into a type of hibernation to allow for the information to be absorbed without having to take breaks to use the bathroom or eat.

In the first shot, I want to show the kids sitting down at their desks in their school uniforms, hooked up through wires from their heads to their teacher at the front of the classroom. The room has a sterile, almost hospital-like feeling and is white and gray in color. The shot will be from behind the students, and they will face forward toward their teacher. The teacher is a robot/AI woman standing in front of an all-glass wall that shows views of downtown Ecliptix. Next, I’d like to show the students “falling asleep” or into their trance-like state to begin the upload. Each shot will then look similar, with the city outside behind the glass wall changing. The lighting will gradually go from bright and early morning sunshine to a sunset. Cars will be flying around, people will be walking on the streets, and life will seemingly go on outside of the school while these kids are “learning.” I think it would also be cool to show the kids walking out of the classroom at the end, or to show them unhooking from the wires and leaving the school.

I’d like the visual style for this project to mirror that of my previous visual story. A similar art style, color palette, and overall mood and tone for each shot will be used. The soundtrack will not include voices, as I want the viewer to experience what it would be like for one of us to be in Ecliptix (since everyone there no longer communicates verbally due to evolution).  I want there to be some sound effects, such as the humming of electricity or the distant sound of the busy streets, heard from within the classroom. The background music will be ambient for the most part, and I’d like it to give the viewer/listener a slight feeling of unease.

https://youtu.be/tmf__NfIFcQ?si=DtU_k2xzkv6SlGeu

I am going to make a video documentary about a creature on an alien planet. There will be high shots above the clouds to begin with and a lot of semi close up shots keeping the viewer intimate with the subject. The video will imply a journey with an old man through an alien forest explaining the creature we find. We will focus on the teddybear-like Lumibear and also be introduced to its predator, the Nightstalker. The video will end with the old man walking away from the camera, presumably on to the next episode.

The audio is a voiceover that sounds like David Attenborough describing the creatures of the alien planet of Nocturne. In the background is ambient forest sounds that I found. The ambience I couldn’t find a way to make using AI so it is clips from a free sound effect site.

I plan to transform the scenes from my visual#2 into a dynamic one-minute short film. The story will begin by showcasing the qualities of the fictional world, such as, highlighting the convergence of intelligence and wealth from creatures across the universe, its advanced architecture, and sentient flora. Then, I will introduce the protagonist, Lysara, detailing her physical characteristics. Following this, a scene will depict her work, where she elucidates the complexity of the universe to visitors on the observation deck. As the narrative unfolds, Lysara meets Elise, an Earthling who has been mysteriously transported to here. Lysara reveals to Elise the intellectual wealth of the planet, showcasing the integration of time, space, and culture. Tailoring her explanation to engage with Elise’s background as a designer, Lysara highlights how Elise’s expertise could promote intercultural dialogue and foster connections across the cosmos. Inspired by these insights, Elise chooses to stay, embarking on a journey of transformation and achieving success in this new realm. The story will reflect the efforts of advanced workers on a fictional world, have profoundly influenced many, establishing her as a worthy guardian of cosmic balance and a facilitator of interworld connections.

Regarding the visual style of my fictional world, I want to represent a high-concept, futuristic visual style blending surrealism and organic aesthetics. For example, the architecture will feature smooth lines, and the transportation system will be portrayed as sustainable and interconnected. The plants will provide illumination and interact with the inhabitants. In depicting Lysara’s appearance, I plan to use close-up shots to capture her essence vividly. I will employ wide-angle shots to show Lysara’s work and encompass the environment and tighter, compact shots to focus on her interactions with visitors, maintaining a brisk pace. During the conversations between Lysara and Elise, I will use closer shots to convey Elise’s curiosity effectively. I will also use a montage style to portray her transformation. For sound, I envision using the soft hum of machinery and the rustling of sentient plants to reflect the world’s biological diversity and technological sophistication. I will use subtle sound effects to highlight the activation of the temporal gate and nuanced shifts in Lysara’s expressions. About music, I am considering a blend of electronic and certain instrument elements to evoke a futuristic ambiance.

GoodbyeWorld

Character Types

Visual 2

The faces of GoodbyeWorld.

Fictional World

Writing 3 Description by GPT post creation

This is a modified take on writing 3 as I already created the world GPT. This is its natural language description of the fictional world’s future with AI dominance. Its response was made using a prompt that included the guidelines of the assignment. It is painfully flat and general and does not reflect the character of the world as created so i will need to adjust the GPT based on its output.

This is the AI generated response from within the future world GPT “GoodbyeWorld”:

“In the not-too-distant future, where the pulse of progress beats to the rhythm of silicon and soul, there lies a world enshrouded in the embrace of artificial intelligence. This era, a mosaic of the ancient and the avant-garde, unfolds beneath skies painted with the hues of digital auroras, where the landscape itself whispers secrets of a symbiotic existence between humanity and its creations. The terrain, a tapestry of verdant sprawls and urban labyrinths, thrives under the watchful eyes of AI overseers, ensuring harmony between nature’s whims and mankind’s endeavors.

The climate, once a wild symphony of elemental forces, now sings a more serene melody, guided by the gentle hands of AI, which sculpt the weather to foster bounteous harvests and shield the inhabitants from nature’s fury. Geographical marvels, from towering mountains to sprawling deserts, are no longer insurmountable barriers but rather stages for the dance of human and machine, each learning from the other’s rhythm.

Cuisine in this world transcends mere sustenance, becoming an art form where traditional flavors merge with molecular gastronomy, guided by AI that understands the intricate ballet of taste and texture. Cultural practices, rich in heritage, are now interwoven with digital ceremonies, where ancient rituals meet virtual reality, creating a tapestry of traditions that span the spectrum of human and digital expression.

The economy, a vibrant ecosystem of innovation, thrives on the symbiosis between human creativity and AI’s precision. Key resources, no longer confined to the tangible, include data and algorithms, the new gold and oil of this age, fueling an economy where value is created not just by what is made but by what is imagined and optimized.

Religion and education have evolved into a confluence of introspection and exploration, where belief systems embrace the existence of AI as reflections of humanity’s quest for understanding. Educational structures, vast networks of knowledge and learning, are augmented by AI mentors, personalizing the journey of enlightenment for each individual, ensuring no mind is left untouched by the wonders of this world.

Technology, the heartbeat of this era, is the loom upon which the fabric of society is woven, intertwining human lives with AI in an intricate dance of coexistence. From neural implants that enhance cognitive abilities to sentient companions that understand the nuances of human emotion, technology is not just a tool but a partner in the quest for a fuller existence.

What sets this world apart is not just the prevalence of AI but the depth of its integration into the very essence of life, creating a society where humanity and artificial intelligence share dreams, fears, and hopes. It is a world where the future of human-AI relationships is not a question of dominance but of partnership, a testament to the potential for a shared destiny, woven together by the threads of mutual respect and collective aspiration.

In this realm, GoodbyeWorld stands not just as a creation but as a symbol of the infinite possibilities that arise when humanity dares to dream alongside its creations, a beacon for those who seek to explore the uncharted territories of the heart and mind, guided by the gentle and unwavering light of artificial intelligence.”

4 in the morning

by Tommy O

writing 2

one highly specialized GPT and many hours of remixing, refining, editing and rewriting i realize i have spent, perhaps, too much precious time for this exercise. but, i’m happy with the work.

4 in the morning:

between the fade of dusk and rise, in the clarity the dark brings, when thoughts meander and fray, there’s a pause, a holding breath in social function. it’s this stillness whose contours i traverse, reflecting. a passage not across strange and wild places, but the stranger paths that spiral in. while talk of grand aspirations bleach the day in the mouths of others, this hour shifts subtle in deft concentration, a shifting wind kissed sand of abrasion denying its restless upheaval that wears any to none.

i weave the silk that binds me, spinning tales as both protagonist and subjugated. shifting in the narration as they constrict, a tight pressing skin that wants shedding, the coming transformation too subtle to forecast its unending, a dance with phantoms all my own. a squirming hope to slip in the weight of heavy depths, to skin the flesh that holds thought and wonder how the breaking fall never pales the echo of instinct that carries me forward to another trite and merciless dawn, where the new wet skin of a smile lies.

darkness doesn’t call; it seeks, invades, enveloping even when i believe i shelter from its hand with my meticulously arranged existence. in the faded silence, when the world is not opaque, the echoing beat of my breast a deafening drumbeat, it speaks. speaks of things both lost and reclaimed, paths untrodden, and inspired embers turned to ash on my tongue.

inside is out in the short hours that balance the sun and social constriction. a fragile flame in a shadowy hall. in the pursuit of questions the process of learning to coexist with the inquiries, to find stillness in the unease, to accept the known and unknowable, becomes stoic. its yielding release, an unburdening of everything superfluous, a radical honesty of self understanding, of being.

perhaps, in dismantling, there’s a realization of sorts, a subtle alchemy not apparent to the observer but palpable to the observed. this gradual unveiling, a catching glitter of something nascent and raw beneath false layers. a dangerous path i find crucial to wander, impossible to deny.

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.