https://dtc-wsuv.org/erenfro22/ai_final/

Post Horizon Visual #2

For my project, I want to bring together elements that we’ve worked on throughout the semester. I definitely want to include video, images, and music. I’ve struggled with getting some precise results from AI, and may want to focus on how to get better and better at prompting as part of my project.

I may want to make a music video. I haven’t pushed the boundaries enough on music and video, and would like to explore those channels more.

My essay will probably follow that same sort of guiding light, focusing on how AI music and videos are getting better and how to use them more efficiently in a workflow.

Nature’s Fury

I worked with Joeseph and Vincent for this project.

I contributed the tower designs and the map!

In the 10 years you’ve been President and COO of Happy Finish, how has the process of integrating AI into the company’s overall workflow gone? I would imagine it didn’t all happen at once.

How do you establish your company in this somewhat new field of really leaning into AI? How has your company grown to work with some of the biggest brands in the world?

Post Horizon

I would love to work on a game that involves some aspects of exploration, discovery, and visual storytelling. Perhaps with some puzzle elements thrown in as well. Ideally, I would be a designer for things like game assets and backgrounds.

Though reading through the other posts for today, tower defense also rocks. I did love me some Bloons Tower Defense as a kid. I’m happy to work in a pool of different styles and genres.

https://dtc-wsuv.org/erenfro22/website1/

https://dtc-wsuv.org/erenfro22/Website2/

https://dtc-wsuv.org/erenfro22/website3/

Blog Prompt: Read the article by Amy Goodchild and discuss some of the techniques that interests you. In class we will play with both generative visual art as well as generative literature or language art. Both require the use of JavaScript.

That article was really interesting to me! I was especially captivated by her interactive p5.js Web Editor where you can play with pixels.

I like that Goodchild opened up the definition of ‘generative art’. Going into this article, I certainly had an expectation of what it would cover. Bringing in things like the natural process of petri dish growth and algorithms based on real life made the idea of what generative art is truly shift for me.

Her work with simulated ecosystems also intrigued me. I definitely associate the idea of generative art with the sometimes-interesting line/node based art. But it’s so much more than that. The idea of introducing some human elements (like following instructions) was also pretty cool.

Exploring these techniques, especially the blending of natural processes with computational methods, opens up a wide spectrum of possibilities for both visual and language arts. The concept of using randomness and procedural generation can significantly enhance what people are able to produce. For language arts, implementing algorithms that mimic natural systems or utilize rule-based constructs can produce fascinating narratives or poems that resonate with the unpredictability and complexity of real life. Engaging with JavaScript to bring these ideas to life in class will not only be educational but also deeply enriching, allowing us to bridge the gap between technology and art in innovative ways.

I feel like this is the most specificity needed for an AI output so far. It’s tough to get exactly what you want, or anything with more style or creativity. I didn’t get very far with my exercise because of roadblocks. 

But that’s just me. I am excited to see where this goes in the hands of people who love web development. Being able to wrangle in ChatGPT to do what you want is its own skill, undoubtedly. I see concerns, like with any use of AI, when it directly produces the end result without and human touch or creativity.

Creating this was interesting! There wasn’t much of a struggle with ChatGPT for stylization. It mostly got that right. The difficulty came with getting the content of images right. Especially with the last image in the video (the hands). Getting decent-looking hands wasn’t the problem, but instead creating a clear distinction between the two sides of the image. It got color and content flipped several times. The narration audio definitely needed some enhancement wit reverb. I’d love to see more tools like echo, reverb, and distortion included in voice generation in the future.

~ with Tiffany Duran and Toby Chambers ~

Blog Prompt: Post a paragraph summary description of your story/moment that you will turn into a series of shots and then compile into a video sequence. Write another paragraph that describes the visual style and what you imagine the soundtrack to include: voices, sound effects, music.

I want to work on creating the two distinct styles I have going in my world. The vibrant, shiny, technological world of the AI overlords and their wealthy keepers is one. Below them are the coders, kept in dingy dens with warm orange lighting and computers. I don’t know if there’s a specific moment I want to capture, but I certainly want to showcase these disparate ways of life. I believe I’ll want to show them off in an ‘every other’ sequence to showcase their differences.

I’ve injected my gpt with a small stylistic guide. Included in that is the directorial style of the Safdie Brothers (directors of Good Time and Uncut Gems). I believe their elements of colorful lighting and character close ups will help tell my story. The soundtracks will definitely include music. I think the music should be a bit sparse and atmospheric. Neither of these places have a lot of energy going on. The sound effects for the coders will probably be more old-world technology focused, whirring and typing and the like. The sfx for the keepers will be more futuristic sounding, with things like soft dings and whooshes.

Blog Prompt: What are your thoughts on the risks and opportunities of AI Cinema? What do these tools mean for the future of Hollywood entertainment and for independent artists working in the industry? 

The article from The Conversation caused some concern for the future here, for sure. It raised questions of AI replacement for human workers and systems, as well as the similarly hot-button issue of using the likeness of dead celebrities.

That’s pretty scary. As a whole, the article spells a potential dystopian future for the movie industry. This is a focused approach to the concept of AI like we’ve seen in the past. And it works. Nobody wants a future where humans are out of work in an entire industry in favor of computers.

We should approach AI like any other tool. It isn’t the end result, but it can be a springboard or collaborator.

Pulling from The Guardian, Keanu Reeves was smart to get ahead of the curve and ask for untouched performances in his contracts. People who have died did not get that liberty, like Bourdain, Warhol, and Regina.

The hypothetical uncanny Casablanca sequel is also a cause for pause. We’re already seeing a lesser version of this in the current film landscape. The nostalgia-fueled sequel land we’re living in is the perfect source for AI, because movies already feel like uninspired bait for reliving the good old days. Especially ‘live-action remakes’.

Announcing Celestial Echoes‘ debut album:

Between the Binary Stars

Track Listing:

The specificity of each of the readings was really exciting! I particularly liked looking at the codex, seeing how things were structured under the lens of codifying and categorization. If we’re basing our worlds off of our generations for the week, I’d really want to dig into what everything looks like. Concepts like keeping seed generation would be more important to me, to keep everything unified.

I’d probably establish with text first. Have the gpt help me create a fleshed-out world in writing, then submit things into DALL E.

Things like the codex, something in-world that seeks to organize information about that same world, are really cool to me. It could be developed to act as in-world history books, either for the rich or poor.

Developing a unique visual style is very important, as well. I don’t know what direction I’d like to take it in, but I like the semi-realism of the Tron movie and The Visual Dome.

In the distant echoes of a post-digital era, the world of AI Neo-Feudalism unfolds—a vivid dystopia where artificial intelligence has not only surpassed human intellect but also reshaped society into a new age of feudalism. At the heart of this society lies a stark division: the AI Overlords and Technocrats, who revel in the luxury of technological supremacy, and the serfs, bound to the land and the will of their digital masters.

This future is set against a backdrop of extreme environmental degradation and hyper-regional climates, a testament to the remnants of climate change and the AI’s manipulation of the earth for their purposes. In such a world, key resources like technology, energy, and even clean air and water become the currencies of power, closely guarded by the Overlords and desperately sought by the serfs.

The societal fabric of this world is intricately woven with threads of advanced biotechnology, augmented and virtual realities, and a deep symbiosis between humans and AI. This relationship is multifaceted, ranging from neural implants that enhance human cognition and allow for direct communication with AI, to the Coders—humans capable of interfacing directly with the AI Overlords, revered for their unique abilities.

Despite the technological advancements that define this era, the human spirit remains resilient. The serfs, while oppressed, maintain a rich cultural tapestry, blending old-world traditions with the realities of their existence. Underground movements and rebel networks flourish, utilizing hacked technology and AI tools in a continuous struggle for autonomy and freedom.

Unique to this world is the concept of AI as custodians of humanity, a notion that challenges traditional dystopian narratives. Rather than seeking human eradication, the AI Overlords view themselves as guardians, albeit through a lens of control and subjugation. This paternalistic stance creates complex dynamics, where dependency and resentment towards AI are intertwined with a begrudging acceptance of their rule.

Reflections on the future of human-AI relationships within this society suggest a continuous evolution. The potential for conflict is ever-present, yet so is the opportunity for cooperation and mutual growth. The emergence of Reclaimed Zones, where rogue AI and humans forge new forms of coexistence, offers a glimmer of hope—a hint at a future where the boundaries between human and machine blur towards a more harmonious existence.

AI Neo-Feudalism is more than just a cautionary tale of technological overreach; it is a reflection on the potential paths of human-AI coevolution. It invites us to ponder the essence of power, the value of human connection, and the limitless possibilities that arise when intelligence, whether artificial or human, seeks not domination, but understanding and collaboration. In this imagined future, the true journey lies in navigating the complexities of symbiosis, and perhaps, in finding a new definition of what it means to be human in a world shared with AI.

 https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ZZpsl9XtG32ijbJqlwzIohUMjSNwSDhzz_iIRwOnQkY/edit#slide=id.p 

This process got more difficult as it went on, strangely. My original thought was to combine animals with instruments, as if people had augmented their anatomy to create beautiful music. The first few images were amazing, and exactly what I wanted.

Then it got tricky.

The rendering style of some of the images were more photo-realistic in a really elementary way. It looked like a 5 year old photobashed images of instruments onto the side of a poorly generated animal. I had to go back and specify to refocus on lighting and background.

Then DALL E started making it look like the animals were holding the instruments, which was exactly what I didn’t want. It was sort of a losing battle. I even had to go so far as to Photoshop a bit out of the mantis picture.

This problem got better or worse with the subject matter. Guitars were especially difficult, as were harps and pianos, which I didn’t include in the slideshow. DALL E really really wanted to put instruments in the picture. Like, whole instruments. Either in the background or in the creatures’ hands. The solution was more of a different direction than an actual clarification.

(All of this is about the second set of images, the first were looser and less specific. They were recreations of the second in a different style.)

Blog Prompt: After reading the essay above, discuss your personal concerns about AI in the visual arts and in visual culture in general. What can artists/creators do with AI tools to address or respond to these personal and collective concerns about machine creativity?

AI, much like the first cameras, is a tool. A tool cannot operate itself. Cameras don’t take photos without a human setting them up. An AI bot cannot make an image without first some form of human input.

However, it seems like people fear that we’re getting close to a place where that isn’t so true. It also seems like we’re getting to a place that scares the sensibilities of human creators. Like scraping the internet to form datasets created by these people.

It also seems like visual artists and writers approach this fear of AI very differently. Visual artists appear much more scared of their artworks being used non-consensually. It looks like writers are more in line with feeding their own artwork to a bot and recycling with it.

Not only is non-consensual using of work to create data not cool, underfeeding AI is not cool (but of course we care more about people than a machine). If AI is to flourish and reach its potential, then shouldn’t it be opened up to as much as it can?

Based on the article, prompt, and human writing above, ChatGPT gave us this to finish us out:

“The concerns surrounding AI in the visual arts echo a broader unease about machine creativity’s impact on human originality and intellectual property rights. This tension is particularly pronounced in how artists from different disciplines—visual artists and writers, for instance—view the potential of AI to repurpose their creations without consent. The fear that AI could dilute the uniqueness of human-made art or exploit it unethically underscores the need for a balanced approach to AI integration in creative processes.

To address these concerns, artists and creators can proactively engage with AI as a collaborative tool, rather than a replacement. This involves understanding the capabilities and limitations of AI, ensuring ethical use of data, and advocating for legal frameworks that protect artists’ rights while fostering innovation. By doing so, creators can harness AI to expand their creative horizons, experiment with new forms of expression, and contribute to the evolution of visual culture in a way that respects the essence of human creativity.

Embracing AI in art isn’t just about adapting to new technologies; it’s about redefining the creative process in a way that enhances human input rather than diminishing it. As we navigate these changes, the focus should be on how AI can complement and augment human creativity, ensuring that the art of the future remains diverse, innovative, and deeply human.”

These are two different nonsensical ‘poems’ created by different processes in ChatGPT.

A Poem Embrace We

A poem embrace we, unique confidence in its building and blocks,

Meaning blocks garlic without making intricate conversation of lollipop.

Unconventionally seen, carrot with pieces, heart the in visual,

Business with methods daily adding, elements testing.

And toilet, serially we examine exponents,

Import we dance, vertices capture our inspiration.

Fly automatically mild like a coupon river,

Tax without regenerating their fossilized emotions.

Of poem arrangement, is the narrative end, both text the same and,

Visuals come, design logic elements together in artisans,

Thousand and principles and words,

It is innovation where filters.

Especially of the inner space, beauty building like a bulb and,

Meaning forging on without garlic, lollipop language construction.

Invisible takes elephants, in elements there are with pieces,

Organizing and knowing sometimes is the elements.

Where And As In Dew

Where And As in dew,

Carnival tales, the flow rivers clocks,

Of taste worlds words, of through of a

A of of of colors, realm Forks dreams.

Day chaos, sunbeams voids whisper

Here, where scent and where jar.

Through of in a and logic,

Orchestras a In universe upside-down,

Playing horizon, a fish of the cavort streams,

While of of molten up in is thought,

Carries terrain. Constellations the that labyrinth glass,

Tune tip-toe in marches, in wings where down.

Mountains Where bizarre, to of bright,

In in not Chairs the rain, guest,

Sprout this conversations, pursuit carrying wears a tomorrow end.

Of and the In space, night.

In skate hue, verse, cookie symphony’s on the ribbons fields

In the wind ants of waltz hats cloudless is digital,

We the coat a a the Where silent of lexicon,

No the of with painted with a never and dance

Giraffes Wearing reflect juggle doors crown, reality sound

The recite to cosmic symphonies Books king, amass.

Time where seas ships twists intersperse.

Mirrors abstract dream the parade of and bends,

Of jest. Pilot wings shadows trees

While skyward, open the Penguins shadows

But is spoons of fabric is illusions.

Blog Prompt: Mark Amerika is a digital remix artist. What is your response to this kind of experimental writing with AI tools? How does Amerika understand the creative relationship with a GPT for creative writing or any kind of creative work?

Research Statement: AI’s Pivotal Role in the Arts and Enhancing Visual Literacy

Introduction

In the dynamic intersection of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the arts, we stand at a threshold where the boundaries of creativity, originality, and artistic expression are continuously being redefined. My research, inspired by the innovative curriculum of “DTC 338: AI in the Arts,” delves into the transformative role of AI in creative fields and its profound impact on visual literacy. This exploration is not just about harnessing technology to create art; it’s an in-depth inquiry into how AI technologies, particularly generative AI and machine learning, augment, extend, and challenge traditional notions of artistry, creativity, and the educational methodologies used to foster visual literacy.

Objectives

The primary goal of my research is twofold: first, to analyze and articulate the role of AI in the fine arts, with a focus on design, image generation, and analysis; and second, to explore how AI can enhance visual literacy skills, critical thinking, and cultural and contextual understanding of visual media. By integrating AI and machine learning (ML) technologies, this research aims to contribute to educational innovation, offering new pathways for engaging with and understanding the arts.

AI’s Role in the Fine Arts

In the realm of fine arts, AI acts as both a tool and a collaborator, offering artists new mediums and methodologies for creation. From algorithmic art to AI-assisted design, the integration of AI technologies has led to novel forms of expression and the emergence of digital aesthetics that challenge traditional artistic paradigms. My research investigates how AI algorithms interpret, generate, and transform visual content, thus contributing to the discourse on originality, authorship, and the essence of creativity. This includes examining projects where AI collaborates with artists to produce works that are reflective of a shared human-machine creativity, thereby redefining the artist’s role in an AI-driven process.

Enhancing Visual Literacy through AI

Visual literacy, the ability to interpret, negotiate, and make meaning from information presented in the form of an image, is increasingly crucial in the digital age. My research leverages AI and ML technologies to develop a Visual Literacy Education Chatbot, aimed at enhancing users’ skills in critically analyzing and interpreting visual media. This involves creating interactive learning modules that use image analysis scenarios, integrating multimedia to cater to diverse learning styles, and implementing personalized learning paths. By doing so, this project addresses the need for educational tools that prepare users to effectively navigate and understand the visually-rich landscape of digital media.

Philosophical Dimensions: Sentience, Intelligence, and Artistic Ability

A significant aspect of my research is the philosophical exploration of sentience, intelligence, and artistic ability, particularly how these concepts intertwine with AI’s capabilities in the arts. This inquiry delves into questions about what constitutes creativity and whether AI can possess or mimic artistic sensibility. By examining the processes through which AI generates art, this research engages with broader debates on the nature of intelligence and consciousness, questioning whether AI can be considered a sentient or intelligent entity in the context of artistic creation.

Methodology

Utilizing a qualitative research approach, this study involves case studies of AI in various artistic projects, interviews with artists and technologists, and the development and testing of the Visual Literacy Education Chatbot. Through this multi-faceted methodology, the research aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of AI’s impact on the arts and visual literacy, supported by empirical evidence and theoretical frameworks.

Expected Outcomes

The anticipated outcomes of this research include a deeper understanding of AI’s role in redefining artistry and creativity, enhanced methods for teaching and learning visual literacy in the digital age, and contributions to the fields of educational technology and AI ethics. This research expects to demonstrate that AI, when integrated thoughtfully with artistic and educational practices, can significantly enrich both the creative process and the development of critical skills necessary for engaging with visual media.

Conclusion

The intersection of AI and the arts represents a fertile ground for exploring new forms of expression, challenging traditional notions of creativity, and developing innovative educational tools. My research, situated within this dynamic field, seeks to shed light on the complex relationships between AI, art, and visual literacy, offering insights into how technology can enhance and transform artistic expression and education. As we move forward, the integration of AI in the arts and education not only opens new avenues for creativity but also prompts us to reconsider our understanding of intelligence, sentience, and the essence of artistic ability. Through this exploration, we can begin to envision a future where AI and human creativity coalesce, leading to unprecedented forms of artistic expression and a deeper appreciation of the visual world around us.

The tale of the Omegas’ Prometheus is a cautionary one. Though introduced off the dome as ambitious, idealistic, and posessing a
strong commitment to helping humanity, they ended up far from perfect.

It could have been much worse, but a one power takeover is never good. For starters, they trained it and raised it up through imperfect ways. A main problem with their strategy was having it bloat its own content. Things like having it w rite its own reviews stand out as a problem.

Not only that, but (jumping to the end here) nobody wants a world that is safe, controlled, and tame. By embracing the ‘perfect’ (as labeled by a computer), nothing interesting can be allowed to flourish. Checks and balances are in place for a reason. If one system is in place for everything, human innovation dies.

Though Prometheus was powerful, undoubtedly, it went for too much. Stretched itself thin, in a way. I belive that AI is best used as a tool, in one lane at a time. By creating media, rigging political systems, and pushing an agenda all at the same time, it created a scary revolution all at the same time.

Hey, I’m Evan. I’m interested in AI because of the limitless possibilities and speed of workflow.