A utopia where cats live in harmony with artificial intelligence.
Cat Royale explores the impact of AI on humans and animals.
Three cats lived inside an environment created by the artists. For 12 days Ghostbuster, Pumpkin and Clover spent time inside each day. Their every need was catered for. They had food, drink and air conditioning. They had high ledges to watch from; cubbyholes to snooze in and a floor to ceiling scratch post. Every surface was covered in carpet so that they could climb and explore freely.
At the centre of the room was a robot arm controlled by an AI, connected to a computer vision system. Every few minutes the AI instructed the robot to offer a game to the cats. Over time it learned which games each cat liked best.
The work was created as part of an extensive collaboration with researchers at the Mixed Reality Lab at the University of Nottingham; and with professors at the Open University and at the University of Lincoln.
Artists’ Statement:
Would you let a robot care for your pet?
Autonomous systems are already ubiquitous for humans. Algorithms are used for criminal sentencing and mortgage approvals. And facial recognition systems track citizens. Toddlers know how to swipe a touchscreen and can interact with virtual assistants such as Alexa. Toddlers know how to swipe a touchscreen and can interact with virtual assistants such as Alexa.
And animals are part of this transformation. Animal care is a significant growth area with autonomous systems used for everything from milking cows to toys for pets.
These systems – which operate independently of humans – promise huge benefits and, as with all new technologies, important costs, some of which may take time to fully reveal themselves. Yet we are giving machines increasing agency in our daily lives.
In Cat Royale we show how an autonomous system is built and some of the trade offs involved. We want to understand how these technologies are going to impact on animal welfare and ultimately human welfare.
The risks with AI and the rush to algorithmic automation are that these systems are essentially data processing machines that incorporate existing biases and distortions about the world and regurgitate them at enormous scale. And while happiness is a noble goal, there’s a great deal of disagreement about what it is, let alone whether computers can measure it or increase it.
AI is powerful, exciting and developing fast. What happens as our most intimate lives – and those of our pets – are entwined with it?
Blast Theory tworzy interaktywną sztukę, aby badać kwestie społeczne i polityczne. Prace grupy stawiają publiczność w centrum nietypowych, czasem niepokojących doświadczeń, by stworzyć nowe perspektywy i otworzyć możliwości zmiany.
Pod przewodnictwem Matta Adamsa i Nicka Tandavanitj, zespół czerpie z kultury popularnej i nowych technologii, tworząc spektakle, gry, filmy, aplikacje i instalacje.
Blast Theory prezentowało swoje prace m.in. na Biennale w Wenecji, Tribeca Film Festival, ICC w Tokio, Hebbel am Ufer w Berlinie, Barbican i Tate Britain. Zamawiającymi ich prace byli m.in. Channel 4, Sundance Film Festival i Royal Opera House.
Artyści ściśle współpracują z badaczami i naukowcami, a od 1997 roku współpracują z Mixed Reality Lab na Uniwersytecie w Nottingham, współautorstwem ponad 45 artykułów naukowych. Wykładają i prowadzą zajęcia na uczelniach na całym świecie, w tym na Sorbonie, Uniwersytecie Stanforda i Royal College of Art. Kuratorowali także serię Screen w ramach Live Culture w Tate Modern.
Blast Theory make interactive art to explore social and political questions. The group’s work places the public at the centre of unusual and sometimes unsettling experiences, to create new perspectives and open up the possibility of change.
Led by Matt Adams and Nick Tandavanitj, the group draw on popular culture and new technologies to make performances, games, films, apps and installations.
Blast Theory have shown work at the Venice Biennale, Tribeca Film Festival, ICC in Tokyo, Hebbel am Ufer in Berlin, the Barbican and Tate Britain. Commissioners include Channel 4, Sundance Film Festival and the Royal Opera House.
The artists work closely with researchers and scientists and have collaborated with the Mixed Reality Lab at the University of Nottingham since 1997, co-authoring over 45 research papers. The artists teach and lecture internationally including at the Sorbonne, Stanford University and the Royal College of Art. They curated the Screen series for Live Culture at Tate Modern.
Blast Theory have been nominated for four BAFTAs and won the Golden Nica at Prix Ars Electronica and the Nam June Paik Art Center Award.
www.blasttheory.co.uk/projects/cat-royale
