Robotics & Art
Walter Benjamin’s, “The Work of Art in the Age if the Mechanical Revolution” is a piece that explores the possibilities that technology has allowed for modern society, specifically in the arts. Walter focuses on the topic of mechanization which refers to machines replacing human labor. Though this piece was written in 1936 it still holds many truths and is very influential in today's society. I believe that this still continues to be relevant today because of the power and influence art has on society.
Walter Benjamin's "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction"
In 2023 and with the rapid increase in popularity of artificial intelligence Walter Benjamin's ideas are even more important. For instance, recent news has revealed that the winner of the Sony World Photography Awards admitted that his photo was generated by AI. In his essay, Benjamin states “The uniqueness of a work of art is inseparable from its being imbedded in the fabric of tradition.” This case perfectly displays an aspect of what Walter Benjamin was preaching. Not only have machines become dominant in the industrial forces but they are now becoming even more influential in the arts.
The winning photo of the Sony World Photography Awards produced by AI
I also found the points made by Professor Machiko Kusahara regarding the development of humanoid robots. Specifically ones with human emotions and are intelligent. In the lecture, she uses the example of Astroboy. Another film that this reminded me of was Ex Machina. The film follows Ava, the world's first sentient AI. As Professor Kusahara mentioned, many people fear robots and their capabilities. Ex Machina serves as a PSA of what could potentially happen when robots reach sentience.
Ex Machina, a movie poster featuring Ava (sentient AI)
In 2023 it's no surprise that the technological industries are booming. It seems like every day we are hearing about the newest technological advancement. Though these advancements, such as AI have been beneficial to society in many ways it is still concerning to imagine the possibilities that may arise when artificial intelligence surpasses human intelligence.
Sources
Bostrom, N. (n.d.). What happens when our computers Get smarter than we are? Nick Bostrom: What happens when our computers get smarter than we are? | TED Talk. Retrieved April 21, 2023, from https://www.ted.com/talks/nick_bostrom_what_happens_when_our_computers_get_smarter_than_we_are
Ex machina: Larsen on film. Larsen On Film | Current and archived movie reviews by Chicago-based film critic Josh Larsen. (2015, September 9). Retrieved April 21, 2023, from https://www.larsenonfilm.com/ex-machina
France-Presse, A. (2023, April 18). German artist admits that prize-winning image was AI-generated, Sparks Row. NDTV.com. Retrieved April 21, 2023, from https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/german-artist-admits-that-prize-winning-image-was-ai-generated-sparks-row-3959641
Kusahara, Machiko. Professor Machiko Kusahara on Japanese robotics. Design and Media Arts 9.
Walter Benjamin's the work of art in the age of mechanical reproduction. (2018). https://doi.org/10.4324/9781912284894
Hi Kimmi!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed ready how you tied the ideas of Walter Benjamin into the current use of AI technology. New machines and advancements in technology are changing life as we know it. After reading what you stated about robots and how they have their pros and cons, it make me wonder how close we are to when robots do ultimately take over. It’s a scary thought to think about but it is the road we are going down. Overall, great job on your post this week!
Jayden