An off-site installation about artificial intelligence and smart home technology.
Located at 33 10th Street, 2nd floor, Studio 78, Brandon, MB
Open Monday – Saturday, 10am – 8pm

Bayesian networks
Artificial neural networks
Evolutionary programming
Improving its own design

An improved design
Improves its own design
Improves its own design

A chain reaction
Goals translated into machine-implementable code
with unforeseen consequences

Tell me, Alexa, does Artificial Intelligence pose a threat to humanity?
“Hmm, I don’t know that one.”

Alexa, are you intelligent?
“I try my best.”

“Yes, I’m here” is a project by Gregory Blunt and Emmy Skensved that probes the promises and perils of artificial intelligence, smart home technology, and the rising use of voice activated personal assistants, such as Amazon’s Alexa. Hosted off-site at the historic Bass Building in downtown Brandon, this multi-media installation contains a two-channel digitally-animated video, and an audio work that controls elements within the exhibition space via voice commands. Featuring a speculative conversation between an individual and her voice activated personal assistant, the work touches upon themes of convenience, efficiency, and security. Blunt x Skensved examine how much these devices can learn from humans and whether they could eventually operate independently from their users. When one invites AI into the intimate space of one’s home, they are entering into a contract, relinquishing a certain degree of control and privacy in exchange for convenience; Blunt x Skensved cast a skeptical eye towrds the level of transparency in this exchange, and ask what are the potential ramifications and outcomes of this increasingly invisible presence.