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Ai vs AI: Ai Weiwei Challenges Artificial Intelligence Nightly on Humanity

Ai vs AI: Ai Weiwei Challenges Artificial Intelligence Nightly on Humanity: In October 2020, Ai Weiwei, a Chinese dissident artist, became the inaugural guest at CIRCA to showcase one of his works on the giant electronic billboard at Piccadilly Circus in London. Since January 11th, he has been featured on Piccadilly Lights, engaging with AI, particularly ChatGPT, and the general public on subjects he deems fundamental, such as freedom of expression.

The Cultural Institute of Radical Contemporary Arts (CIRCA) is a platform dedicated to promoting and disseminating avant-garde contemporary art, aiming to facilitate dialogue and the exchange of ideas among artists, critics, scholars, and the public.

Launched during the global pandemic in 2020, CIRCA chose the Piccadilly Circus billboards, a tourist hotspot with over 100 million visitors annually, to exhibit selected artists' works. In the first year, the displays lasted for three minutes starting at 8:20 PM, and in 2024, they occur at 8:24 PM local time, also appearing on screens in Tokyo, Times Square, Milan, Melbourne, Dublin, and Seoul.

The "Ai vs AI" project by artist Weiwei Ai Weiwei, a renowned contemporary Chinese artist, known for provocative and critical works against his country's regime, was born on August 28, 1957, in Beijing. Influenced by his father, Ai Qing, a renowned poet and intellectual, the family faced exile to rural areas during the Chinese Cultural Revolution until Mao Tse Tung's death in 1976.

Using various media like sculpture, architecture, photography, film, and social media, Ai Weiwei expresses his vision of art and society. While criticizing the lack of human rights and freedom of expression in China, he was arrested in 2011 on charges of tax evasion, detained for 81 days, and then released on bail.

As part of this project, the artist poses 81 questions to AI, referencing the interrogations he underwent during his days of imprisonment. These questions draw inspiration from the "Tiānwèn" – 172 questions asked to the gods, written by the Chinese poet Qu Yuan nearly 2,300 years ago on a temple wall.

The artist, who has recently highlighted humanity's role in the displacement of refugees or the fate of migrants, now contemplates it within the context of political crises and new technologies, particularly generative AI capable of emulating an artist's style. He invites the public to ask the right questions.

Ai Weiwei explains:

"In the current era, if art exists, its essence lies in striving to potentially free individuals from the chains of knowledge or the slavery of information. It's not about freedom of expression. It's about the freedom to question. Everyone has the right to ask questions. Questions are important because they relate to our personal stories. If humans are ever liberated, it will be because we ask the right questions, not because we provide the right answers."

For the first time, the artist experiments with artificial intelligence as a form of art. According to him, our time is grappling with information overload, making it "rich in questions; never before has humanity faced such a state of turmoil and perplexity."

The questions posed and responses from Ai Weiwei and AI can be found on the CIRCA website, with the project's ultimate goal being to create a portrait of the world today.

Here are some examples of these question-and-answer exchanges:

1. Who am I?
   • Ai Weiwei: This is the ultimate question: who am I in opposition to the world? It's about whether I am part of the world or if the world is part of me. This question remains unsolvable in reality.
   • Artificial Intelligence: The question "Who am I?" delves into personal identity and existential inquiry. It encourages individuals to reflect on their self-awareness, values, experiences, and the factors that define their sense of being. It's a philosophical and introspective question with subjective answers. (ChatGPT)
2. Is there hope for peace?
   • Ai Weiwei: In the current stage of political development and social structure, peace seems impossible.
   • Artificial Intelligence: There is always hope for peace through diplomacy, conflict resolution, and global cooperation. Individuals and nations working towards understanding and collaboration contribute to fostering a more peaceful world. (ChatGPT)
3. What is the question you would like to ask humans?
   • Ai Weiwei: AI should answer this question.
   • Artificial Intelligence: "How can humanity collectively work towards a more equitable and sustainable future?" (ChatGPT)

4. If an artist is not an activist, can he still be considered an artist?

   • Ai Weiwei: Artists, by essence, engage in action. Those who take action are not necessarily identical to activists, as artists' aesthetic and ethical considerations possess inherent independence and unique qualities. Without this independence, the existence and validity of artistic forms would be compromised. An artist who is not an activist would undoubtedly resemble a lifeless entity.
   • Artificial Intelligence: Yes, an artist can still be considered an artist even if not an activist. Artistic expression is diverse, and individuals may engage in their art for various reasons not necessarily linked to activism. (ChatGPT)