Artificial intelligence takes on many forms. You can ask it for advice via ChatGPT; it can give you writing suggestions. (This article was not written using AI.) It enhances assistive technology for disabilities, and machines can enact AI to perform tasks using knowledge scraped from various sources (see: self-driving cars).
What does AI mean for the future of humanity? Artist Lynn Hershman Leeson explores this in her exhibition Of Humans, Cyborgs, and AI at the Nevada Museum of Art.
The exhibition consists of three short videos: “Shadow Stalker” (2019), “Logic Paralyzes the Heart” (2021) and “Cyborgian Rhapsody: Immortality” (2023). Each of these videos explores human interaction with technology, particularly AI. They play on a loop in a dark, quiet gallery. Interestingly, the seating arrangement—one long row of seats—doesn’t allow for much discussion during the films, which is just as well, considering the subject matter that is covered in the span of a half-hour. Any discussion is best left for after the viewing.
Each of the works feature one or more female narrators, who explain the technological troubles of humanity to human viewers from the perspective of technology itself.
In “Shadow Stalker,” the “Spirit of the Deep Web” urges viewers to be vigilant about their online interactions and digital personas, warning that our actions are being logged and used against us. The video “Logic Paralyzes the Heart” also strongly emphasizes this, with the First Cyborg explaining that facial recognition is increasingly being used to track humans, and is often unreliable and incredibly biased.
Hershman Leeson’s works take advantage of our fascination with technology by having our own creations talk back to us through these films. If AI and cyborgs are made to resemble humans, then perhaps they are worthy of being heard, and having their view of the situation respected?
In an artist statement from 2024, Hershman writes, “Our relationship to computer-based virtual life forms that are autonomous and self-replicating will shape the fate of our species and seem to me to be a critical issue of our time.” Even as some people form relationships with generative AI, calling it their “friend,” “therapist” or “research partner,” Hershman Leeson asks how these relationships will impact human connections with each other.
In “Cyborgian Rhapsody: Immortality,” another cyborg that goes by the name “Sarah” explores what it would mean to be human, expressing regret for not being able to experience human emotions. However, this cyborg is portrayed by an actual AI creation. As Sarah introduces her abilities, she reveals that one of her skills includes “spying.” Once again, the narrator waves a metaphorical red flag in the hopes that the audience will see it: Can an AI assistant really be helpful if its ulterior motive is collecting your data? Doesn’t that mean any help you receive could just be a test to predict your future actions?
Hershman Leeson asks viewers to take a hard look at our online digital footprints, and the ways in which we are giving away what needs to be most protected the most: our identities.
Lynn Hershman Leeson’s video exhibition Of Humans, Cyborgs, and AI is on view at the Nevada Museum of Art, at 160 W. Liberty St., in Reno, through Sunday, Sept. 7. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday, with hours extended until 8 p.m. on Thursday. General admission is $15, with discounts. For more information, visit www.nevadaart.org.
This article was originally published on Double Scoop, Nevada’s source for visual arts news.