Creative disruption and Artificial Intelligence
BACKGROUND/HISTORY AND CONTEXT OF THE WORKSHOP
Bristol’s Living Lab, Knowle West Media Centre (KWMC), is an arts & digital organisation who’ve been working with people for more than 20 years to harness the power of the arts and digital technologies to create positive social change; applying methods of innovative co-creation. KWMC has been exploring the hopes, fears, myths, and controversies of AI, particularly its propensity to amplify biases, perpetuate stereotypes and increase power imbalances. The prevalent narratives about AI either pit humans against machines – with AI threatening to take jobs and purpose from humans – or AI is found to be failing because it remains all too human, limited by fallible and bias programmers.
This workshop seeks to take a step back and ask what it means to be human, what it means to be machine and – embracing all our respective riches and imperfections – ask how can we creatively and meaningfully combine and collaborate. The workshop will further seek to explore the potential for creative disruption – what can humans and AI do together differently and better? How can this be an open and participative process embedded in real places and communities and address everyday issues and concerns?
MAIN AIM / OBJECTIVE
This workshop will share KWMC’s practice around creative disruption and mixing people, art and tech in creative ways. It will take a hands-on, participative approach to exploring what it means to be human, what it means to be a machine, and the potential for creative interaction between the two.
Through the workshop, participants will:
● Develop archetypes and bust myths around humans and AI;
● Share emerging models of creative human/AI interaction, including KWMC’s own work with artists and communities, and inviting other living labs to share examples (contributions already offered from Library Living Lab-Barcelona);
● Undertake a rapid prototyping experiment to explore how remixing human and AI interaction could address a particular challenge/challenges;
● Explore how living labs could collaborate on creative approaches to AI;
● Identify opportunities for future collaboration and scaling up.
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
Participants will have:
● Shared some of the ethical and social issues / concerns / fears around AI
● Learnt more about what creative disruption and AI could mean
● Discovered inspiring examples of innovative AI projects using creative disruption tactics
● Understood more about KWMCs creative approach to AI
● Found out how other living labs are approaching AI
● Tested out how to apply approaches of creative disruption to AI in their own living lab context
● Met future collaborators
● Plotted out potential for future partnership projects
● Mapped out shared learning and challenges
● Built relationships and networks to support future collaborations and scaling up activity. The session will be interactive, full of hands-on learning and fun – an ideal environmental for developing and deepening relationships and fostering strong networks.
BRIEF OUTLINE / METHODOLOGY
In this workshop KWMC will use a mix of arts-led co-creation processes and design-thinking tools. Participants need no prior knowledge of AI and we aim to create a safe space for shared exploration and learning. The methods will include:
● Ice-breakers; getting to know you to help people feel comfortable and connect
● Immersion in the world of human/AI interaction: through showcase of real world examples and issues.
● Creative development exercises of human and machine archetypes using arts, crafts and props as a way of exploring, opening up, and valuing the different qualities of both;
● A design-thinking exercise in small groups using rapid prototyping process to identify issues and creative approaches to blending human/AI applications
● Presentation of prototypes and reflection on learning;
● Facilitated group discussion on identifying issues and opportunities for collaboration with other potential partners.
The workshop will involve a mix of pair, small group and whole group activities, including: discussion, interactive tasks with props, prototyping and collaboration. The time will be well structured to allow for: inspiration and networking, active collaboration, insights and reflection.
LINKS
Workshop Facilitators
Melissa Mean
Head of Arts
Melissa Mean
Head of ArtsMelissa is head of Arts at KWMC. She manages the organisations Arts Programme, which includes developing exhibitions, installations and artist residencies. Her work includes producing a wide range of digital, photographic and film projects, and exploring the role that the arts can play in business development, social action and regeneration. She is also co-founder of the NESTA New Radical awarded innovative housing project We Can Make.
Martha King
Arts Programme Producer
Martha King
Arts Programme ProducerMartha King is Arts Programme Producer at KWMC. She has developed and delivered arts and research projects with citizens that explore; data ethics, commons based approaches, citizen-led co-design and participatory sensing. Supporting artists to create: performances, exhibitions, installations, talks, workshops and new commissions in a variety of contexts. She is co-author on HCI published paper 'A City in Common: A Framework to Foster Technology Innovation from the Bottom up' and has given public presentations around citizen innovation at a range of conferences across the UK and in Canada, including: The ENoLL OpenLivingLab Days conference in Montreal 2016 and at NESTA, London.
Carolyn Hassan
Director
Carolyn Hassan
DirectorDirector, Knowle West Media Centre and Bristol Living Lab, International Ambassador for Bristol. Carolyn is founder and Director of Knowle West Media Centre located in South Bristol: an arts and media centre (built of straw bales) that delivers socially engaged media arts projects contributing to a wider understanding of the role of technology and arts in communities and cities. KWMC manages Bristol’s Living and a focus on achieving tangible local benefits through sharing knowledge internationally are key to the success of the organisation.
Penny Evans
Assistant Director
Penny Evans
Assistant DirectorAssistant Director, Knowle West Media Centre, Penny Evans works alongside the Director developing programmes that respond to future need, promoting participation, involvement and inclusion in the delivery of the project. One of her key areas of responsibility is strategic planning and development for: The Factory. She currently sits on the Engaged University Steering group at University of Bristol.