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Emotion Echo Bot

Vanessa Kim

Artist statement: "The exploration of AI and AI-generated work initially filled me with terror due to how AI was portrayed and my lack of understanding what artificial intelligence means. My artistic endeavors are usually a blend between traditional and digital mediums and before I came to SJSU I only engaged with traditional mediums like painting. When I was only engaged in traditional mediums and encountering AI art, I was often frustrated and angry at the lack of policy and the seemingly mindless theft or work. The thought of AI transforming years of an artist's work into something that cannot be copyrighted or traced back to its origins within moments was deeply unsettling. I wrestled with feelings of rage and apprehension about the future of artists, concerned about their creations and identities being stripped from their contexts instantaneously.

However, my perspective shifted as I delved into coding and the history of computer-based art. This exploration, including reading Safita Umoja Noble's "Algorithms of Oppression" and attending classes at SJSU, unveiled the more human aspect of these programs. They embody human traits, which in turn makes them unreliable and at times incredibly stupid. In this project, I aim to navigate my evolving perceptions of AI, acknowledging its intimidating nature and the uncertainty of the future. Yet, there's an individual behind that code, with their thoughts, biases, and 'dumb brain' lurking behind our computer screens. I wanted to explore the feelings of trust I had with AI and what it claims to be or do, but also to recognize the human intentions and guidance behind the machine. My exploration of this concept shifted towards a question that became the main concept of this art work: what does it mean for a machine to claim to be powered by Artificial Intelligence and how much can we trust it?"

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