I am going to be honest, the reading this week ‘Algorithms as Figures’ (Cellard L 2022) meant very little to me, and thus, I did not retain much of the information from the reading. It is a topic I had not much knowledge on, and something I am very uninterested in such as the idea that algorithms are more than just technical artefacts, but can be seen as procedures and actions integrating humans and machines. However, the reading titled ‘Knitting Algorithmic Assemblages’ (Neck K 2022) somewhat covered similar topics in a far more interesting way that I could connect to more. Also, my class was lucky enough to have the author of this reading come in to talk about her work and research further! ‘Knitting Algorithmic Assemblages’ explained the complexities of machine and human intelligences through the metaphor of ‘knitting’, specifically the patterns and repetition of the fabric weaving in and out of each other to create something new. Through actual knitting with yarn, as well as knitting as a metaphor, Geck (2022) explores how we co-create with AI and machines to make new ideas.
On Wednesday we began discussing our ideas for Assignment 4 which we will be sort of pitching next week as Assignment 3. I will be collaborating with Ally as we both have similar mindsets and thoughts about AI which we both discovered were rather negative assumptions. We thought this would be fun to lean into by working on a project that incorporates something we love with AI, which might increase our enjoyment and excitement when working with AI. We have decided to make an MTV style interview set in the 80s where AI exists, and then make a new wave 80s music video combining our own original footage as well as AI footage. We thought this would be interesting because when we watched a few 80s music videos, we discovered they were weird, uncanny-valley, and uncomfortable to watch the same way watching AI videos is. They both evoke similar feelings which we thought could be cool to combine the two. Our own footage for the music video will feature imagery that we have created in an AI-style way, almost replicating AI imagery or how it makes people feel when they watch it. I am very excited to work on this project, and think we will be able to create an uncomfortable but enjoyable music video.
Geck, K 2022, ‘Knitting Algorithmic Assemblages’, TEXTILE, accessed 14 September 2024.
Sorry you didn’t like the Cellard reading 🙁
I’ve found it useful in terms of a way to think about how genAI systems (and AI/machine learning generally) operate more broadly in society — if you think of them as ‘figures’, it’s easier to observe how they have agency, how they influence our behaviours, how they function in other ways like in companies etc.