Oesterreichisches Forschungsinstitut fuer Artificial Intelligence (OFAI) der OSGK
Freyung 6/6/7, A-1010 Wien
Tel: +43-1-5336112-17, Fax: +43-1-5336112-77, Email: sec@ofai.at
Pamela Breda
Independent Artist
FEELING FOR NONEXSISTENT BEINGS
“The Unexpected” is an artistic research project exploring the impact of
Artificial Intelligences (AIs), interfaces and digital assistants, on
users’ daily life through theoretical research and practice-based field
analysis. The constant growth of AI softwares and virtual assistants
employed to enhance wellbeing and overcome mental health issues is
creating new dimensions of social and ethical questions about human
emotional responses to artificial intelligence. While Microsoft is
studying the implementation of AI companions with an emotional
connection to satisfy the human need for communication and affection,
chatbots and digital avatars are designed in order to support users in
overcoming anxiety, loneliness and other stress-related situations. But
what are the emotional responses to such interactions? Do we still
perceive the AIs as “others” or do we empathise with them as they would
with humans? Using an interdisciplinary approach the research will
analyze the practical impact of human interactions with digital
assistants through the development of a written essay and extensive
audio-visual documentation edited in the form of an experimental film.
Biography: Pamela Breda is an artist and filmmaker living between Milan
and Vienna. She was recipient of several art awards and fellowships,
including Italian Council Award (MibaC, IT), Kingston University Phd
Scholarship (Kingston, UK), Moving’Up funding scheme (Turn, IT), Italian
Institute of Culture (Moscow, RU). Her films have been screened
internationally and presented at festivals and art venues such as:
Sheffield docFest (UK), “ECRA Film Festival” (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil),
“Revolutions Per Minute Festival” (Boston, USA), “Digital Film Library”,
Clermont- Ferrand Film Festival (Clermont-Ferrand, F), Cite
Internatinale Des Arts, (Paris, F), “Vision Du Reel” Film Festival,
Media Library (Nyon, CH), “Hazel Eye Film Festival” (Tennesse, USA),
“The Bomb Art Factory Film Festival” (London, UK), Sohonya Art Center
(Bangalore, I), Francesco Fabbri Foundation for Contemporary Art (Pieve
di Soligo, IT), Bevilacqua La Masa Foundation (Venice, IT).
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Time: Wednesday, 6 July 2022 at 18:30 CET
Location: On Zoom
URL: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84282442460?pwd=NHVhQnJXOVdZTWtNcWNRQllaQWFnQT09
Meeting ID: 842 8244 2460
Passcode: 678868
OFAI 2022 Lecture Series: https://www.ofai.at/lectures
OESTERREICHISCHES FORSCHUNGSINSTITUT
FUER ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Univ.-Prof. Ing. Dr. Robert Trappl
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