AI: More Than Human


Interesting exhibition at the Barbican looking at creative and scientific developments in AI using work by artists, scientists and researchers.

I must admit I only did the free installations around the building. I didn’t have time to do the paid for exhibition section but I thought it was a nice touch to have a lot of free work particularly as it’s the school holidays and it is something that children can interact with.

I began with the work shown, one of two by Universal Everything, where you stand in front of the screen and the avatar copies and learns from you movements. I must admit I felt a bit silly as a middle aged women standing waving my arms and legs around but it didn’t stop me. The results thought were a bit underwhelming.

Good use was made of the long drop space in the middle of the building with a work called Totem by Chris Slater which used equations that model the behaviour of biological neurons and is therefore supposed to mirror emotions. I must admit I don’t understand however it did look more cheerful the second time I saw it!

I did however love the robot cocktail bar and spent ages watching it, although as it was mid-afternoon I didn’t partake. I loved the delicate action of the robot shaking the drink and the other one which gently placed the glass down on the counter.

Closes 26 August 2019

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