The technique of combining computer animation with cyanotype printing is a reflection of the balance between the digital and physical realms that I feel to be an essential approach to life as technology advances. Cyanotype printing relies on interaction with the outside world using sunlight and water, the antithesis of what a computer needs. The process of the animation meant I was able to engage with people; the model I 3D scanned, the people at the print shop, children who came up to me in the park as I waited for the cyanotype prints to dry.
Mediums of artists will inevitably be influenced by the nuances of their surroundings, I believe it's positive to be open to experimenting with new forms of expression. I don’t believe that how artificial intelligence is currently being used for ‘art’ will survive the way that photography and other contemporary mediums have. The allergic reaction many people have had to AI’s involvement in art is rooted in the uncanny feeling caused by something not human trying to be human. Art is a reaction to life, and computers can have close to all the knowledge of what it is to live, but it is only secondary information. Art is communication between human beings. Technology can be used as a tool by artists but when we watch artificial intelligence imitate a reaction to living, our intuition is quick to recognise it as an imposter, or if we are tricked into thinking it was made by a human we feel taken for a fool.
Emotion and compassion should be left to us. Artificial intelligence has the potential to create more time for human connection and it has been predicted to, if we use it in the right way. Computer scientist Kai-Fu Lee has been optimistic about the prediction of AI replacing jobs as it will create more value for empathetic, creative, and social jobs. This is an opportunity to prepare for an education revolution. The current glorified intensive work ethic is detrimental to the work that goes into love and compassion within our personal lives, that is also vital within empathetic, creative, and social jobs. AI currently lacks the ability to master such compassion, and it's a waste of time to train it to. A future where we are outdone by technology in every sector will render us to feel useless, we need to recognise our unique strengths as human beings to distinguish a balance and keep human connection alive. Just because we can, it doesn’t mean we should.