Through the ages, society has envisioned machine-like versions of humans and dreamed of machines that could transform and “liberate” us. From ancient Greece, China and Byzantium to the Arab world, Renaissance and modern times, we have envisioned the possibility of artificial intelligence and automated devices to make society more efficient and productive. And since the advent of the Industrial Revolution we have been racing towards the realisation of a world increasingly defined by technological terms.
Today we use artificial intelligence and algorithmic systems in countless everyday activities without us realising; from navigation, online search engines, recommendations, texting, virtual assistants, “smart” devices, just to name a few. At the same time, AI and algorithms are also being deployed for applications that lead to controversial and also dangerous outcomes, such as facial recognition and profiling, predictive analytics for employment, crime monitoring and predictive policing.
In a society often characterised by inequality, racism and unfairness, algorithmic systems and machine decision making processes are used to monitor, profile and categorise the world creating a more predictable and controllable version of it. If AI and algorithmic systems are largely owned and controlled by a few, how can we reclaim this space creating infrastructures that are more transparent, fair, equitable and caring?
You and AI: Through the Algorithmic Lens brings together artists, researchers, and artworks to challenge perceptions and fantasy visions of autonomy and intelligence about AI, exploring how these systems are created, their impact, and possible ways in which we can reimagine and reshape them so they are more transparent, fair, equitable and caring.
