3 artists reimagine AI imagery via speculative images

In early 2024, the Envisioning Studio at Google invited three artists — Farah Al Qasimi, Charlie Engman and Max Pinckers — to create a set titled “Different Photographs of AI.” The challenge aimed to discover the potential of images to create new visible representations of AI, particularly by centering human experiences and {our relationships} with this expertise, shifting past typical depictions.

The necessity for different photographs of AI

Stereotypical photographs of AI abound on the web, typically together with illustrations of chips, neural networks and robots. Whereas these representations are frequent, they provide solely a surface-level glimpse into the expertise, typically reinforcing misconceptions and failing to seize each its true potential and its challenges. As AI turns into more and more built-in into our lives, it is vital to contemplate how visuals form our understanding and engagement with the expertise. With this challenge, we wished to collaboratively discover with artists how images would possibly assist folks relate in a different way to AI.

The “Different Photographs of AI” exhibition

“Different Photographs of AI” presents a sequence of images that provide new, international views on AI. All 15 works on this challenge are actually exhibited on the International Center of Photography (ICP) in New York Metropolis till January 6, 2025. However you may also discover it digitally beneath.

Farah, Charlie and Max used speculative images, which refers to strategies like staged scenes and digital manipulation, whereas capturing photographs of individuals within the United Arab Emirates, Ghana and Belgium, respectively.

Chosen for his or her experience in utilizing images to bridge the hole between actuality and fiction, we requested the photographers to answer one basic query: What are the relationships we wish to have with applied sciences powered by synthetic intelligence as we speak and tomorrow?

Thus far, AI has been sometimes characterised as one thing that’s largely invisible or un-photographable. These images act as samples of societal reflections, representing how every artist imagined completely different communities referring to AI. Our hope is that they spark productive public conversations round how interacting with AI would possibly make us really feel.

Farah Al Qasimi

Farah Al Qasimi’s strategy is to think about how our understanding of the pure world, and of one another, would possibly surpass language or description. Her work, shot in Abu Dhabi, doesn’t try to overstate the presence of AI, however as a substitute explores the methods it might allow us to kind connections with others past the constraints of a display.