AI! installation / Technopolis

The idea behind AI! was clear: make AI tangible, relatable, and unforgettable. With this brief, we started the ideation phase together with Technopolis. By already being involved in this phase, we could really shape what the room would look like while simultaneously thinking of the technical possibilities and restrictions. Ultimately, we came up with four different experiences we could then begin building. During the development phase, we partnered with Arinti and Raccoons for technical development, Legile for legal validation, and were supported by Cronos Public Services.

1. Voice cloner — Ever wanted to hear yourself say something you never actually said? Pay a 30-second visit to our Voice Cloner and we make it possible.

This first experience, our “voice cloner”, was an important part of the set-up for several reasons. First of all, the technology behind cloning voices has evolved immensely in recent years. In the past, cloning a voice required hours of high-quality recordings, but now, 30 seconds of voice data is already enough. We wanted to demonstrate this shift in our booth. While this technology can be used for fun and creative purposes, it also comes with risks, like phishing. By showcasing the power of this technology in a playful and engaging way, we aimed to inform visitors about just how easy it is to clone a voice—and why it’s something to be aware of. Playful, fascinating, and a little unsettling, this demo raises questions about privacy and the ethics of voice cloning.

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2. Bias in AI — Can AI really be neutral? If AI is based on human data — does it inherently contain human bias as well?

The second experience showcases how bias can emerge in the output of AI systems. This demo invites you to type in a profession. Then, the system generates nine images that reveal the biases lurking within the AI model’s training data. Think of stereotypes about gender, skin color, and age. Chances are that when you type in “astronaut”, a man appears. Or when you pick “nurse”, a women is generated. A simple yet striking way to show how AI reflects the flaws of the real world.

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3. The dilemma race game — The classic dilemma, known as The Trolley Problem, takes a modern twist in the world of self-driving cars. The vehicle needs to make the decision. Who survives?

In this multi-player game, you’re behind the steering wheel of an AI-driven car facing impossible ethical decisions. Do you save the elderly pedestrian, the mother with a stroller, or the dog? Fast-paced and provocative, this game reveals the challenges of programming morality into machines. This game forces us to confront uncomfortable questions about resonsibility, morality, and who — or what — gets to decide.

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4. Blob Opera: Interactive edition — A playful twist on Google’s Blob Opera.

Originally, Blob Opera is a machine learning experiment by David Li in collaboration with Google Arts and Culture. In its original form, you can guide the pitch and vowel sound of the four blobs who are ready to transform your musical ideas. The voices of the blobs are the output of a machine learning algorithm trained on the voices of four opera singers who recorded many hours of singing. So, what you hear isn’t the voice of the opera singer, but rather the AI model’s understanding of what opera singing sounds like. To make this demo interactive, we used Leap Motion Sensors to let visitors control a virtual choir with their hand movements. It’s the perfect way to show how computer vision works.

Experience AI! yourself

We can’t recommend visiting Technopolis and the AI! installation enough. Through the interactive demos, videos, and infographics, visitors are able to learn key AI concepts like machine learning, neural networks, and latent space. While the demos might have a certain fun factor, they are not just gimmicks. They really encourage the visitors to reflect and form their own opinions about the technology shaping our lives.

This is AI for everyone, not just scientists or tech enthusiasts. Whether you’re 12 or 62, AI! invites you to experiment, reflect, and imagine what the future could hold. Ready to experience AI for yourself? Make sure to pay Technopolis a visit!