Published on June 12, 2024
An ensemble of miniature robots is currently toiling away in Science Gallery Melbourne’s NOT NATURAL exhibition.
The exhibition explores the uneasy interface between natural and artificial systems. The miniature robots are called Spambots. With bodies made of Spam cans, they reproduce an AI interpretation of a classic dystopian novel.
AI and nonhumans
In Spambots, we see a confluence of harm, death and technology that has parallels in the rapid rise of AI. Clearly, AI can cause both harm and good.
For example, AI has been used in unfair automated decisions that impact minorities. And AI can be used for enhanced surveillance of human bodies and behaviour – something Huxley’s novel dramatises.
Additionally, AI can potentially damage the nonhuman world. Even the resources needed to run machine learning systems are associated with carbon emissions, e-waste and high water consumption.
And AI can also harm animals. For example, AI chatbots can mispresent animals or portray them as disgusting, worthless or killable. Also, steps are underway to harness automated farming systems in ways that might produce more intensive and inhumane animal farming.
But AI can also be used to help animals, such as by monitoring endangered species and replacing the need to use animals in medical experiments.
Politics & Society
AI apocalypse or overblown hype?
An opportunity for reflection
Spambots brings together AI, art and animals to promote engaged reflection about these important topics. As AI penetrates further into human and nonhuman lives, art is particularly important in revealing to us both the positive and negative potential of this powerful technology.
You can visit the Spambots at Science Gallery Melbourne. The NOT NATURAL exhibition is on until 29 June 2024.
Banner: Installation view of Spambots by Neil Mendoza (UK/USA) in Science Gallery Melbourne’s NOT NATURAL. (Matthew Stanton, 2024)
This article was first published on Pursuit. Read the original article.