The research team, led by Professors Christopher Brooke of the University of Nottingham and Hassan Ugail of the University of Bradford, utilized a facial recognition model to analyze the Madonna in the de Brécy Tondo. They compared it to other portraits of the Madonna and found a 97% match with Raphael’s Sistine Madonna altarpiece. This led the team to conclude, as Ugail stated, that “identical models were used for both paintings and they are undoubtedly by the same artist.”

However, the excitement surrounding this discovery was short-lived. Eight months later, Art Recognition, a Swiss AI company, challenged the claim with its own AI model, determining with 85% certainty that the de Brécy Tondo was not a Raphael creation. In an op-ed, Carina Popovici, Art Recognition’s founder, defended her company’s findings, highlighting the expertise of her team, which included several art historians, and the sophistication of their model, trained on authentic and forged Raphael paintings. However, she was careful not to discredit Brooke and Ugail. “The most straightforward explanation for the strong discrepancy between the two results is that the models are essentially addressing different questions,” Popovici explained.

The controversy, dubbed the “battle of the AIs” by the Guardian, did little to sway skeptics of AI’s role in art interpretation. Instead, it underscored the ongoing debates within the art world as AI technology increasingly integrates into its most revered institutions.

While AI is already curating exhibitions and biennials, could it also reshape how we study and perceive historical art?

The intersection of AI and art history is not merely a technological issue but also an ideological one. In 2013, scholar Johanna Drucker published “Is There a ‘Digital’ Art History?,” a paper exploring the implications of digital tools in art history. Drucker concluded that while digital technology has made art history more accessible, it hasn’t altered the field’s core approaches or methodologies.

Drucker’s paper, along with a subsequent essay by art historian Claire Bishop, sparked debate within the digital humanities—a field that combines advanced computational techniques with the study of humanities disciplines like art and literature. Bishop’s essay, “Against Digital Art History,” argued that the push toward digital methods reflects a broader socioeconomic issue: the pressure to quantify and optimize knowledge, driven by neoliberal ideals.

“Digital art history, as the belated tail end of the digital humanities, signals a change in the character of knowledge and learning,” Bishop wrote.

She questioned whether the empirical methods of computational analysis could truly enhance the theoretical interpretations central to the humanities.

Despite the rapid advancements in AI since these essays were published, the underlying concerns raised by Bishop and Drucker remain relevant. Their critiques arrived during a time when funding for STEM fields was often prioritized over the humanities, a trend that continues to influence the discourse around AI in art history.

Some experts, like Amanda Wasielewski, a digital humanities professor at Uppsala University in Sweden, are less concerned about AI replacing art historians. “I don’t think there’s any AI or machine learning technique that could ever replace an art historian,” she stated. Wasielewski acknowledges the usefulness of AI in certain aspects of art history, such as archival management, but remains cautious about its potential to reintroduce outdated methodologies.

In her book Computational Formalism, Wasielewski explores how machine learning has revived the strict, formalist methodologies of art study that dominated the early 20th century.

This approach, which focuses on an artwork’s physical properties rather than its contextual background, fell out of favor during the cultural shifts of the 1960s and ’70s. However, with the rise of AI, Wasielewski warns that this dogma could resurface.

Machine learning models excel at formal analysis and pattern recognition, making them valuable tools in art authentication and archival work. But as we increasingly rely on these systems, Wasielewski suggests we risk neglecting the critical frameworks that have evolved over decades. “When you think that somehow you’re going to draw out objective things from a formalist methodology,” she noted, “you don’t do any extra methodological work.”

The resurgence of formalist thinking through AI does not necessarily mean a return to old practices. The concept of “distant reading” in literature, introduced by literary historian Franco Moretti, has been adapted to “distant viewing” in art. This method analyzes large datasets to identify trends and patterns across time, place, and style. Researchers like Leonardo Impett and Fabian Offert have used this approach to draw new connections between historical and contemporary art.

Their paper, titled There Is a Digital Art History, highlights the potential of AI to enhance art historical work—though with the caveat that these models are only as good as the data they are trained on. “We can have the benefits of these new models, but at the same time,” Offert stated, “we have to always critique [them] and figure out the limitations of their…weird machinic visual culture.”

Wasielewski agrees, emphasizing that these AI models are not autonomous entities but tools created by humans, with all the biases that entails.

“They’re not magical machines,” she said. “We need to question not just how these tools are applied, but where they have their origins, what kind of data they were trained on, what biases might be contained within [them].”

The debate over AI in art history is far from over. Even as AI continues to challenge traditional methods, it also opens new avenues for dialogue between technologists and historians. Popovici’s collaboration with German art history professor Nils Büttner on a research project exemplifies this potential. Despite their different approaches—Büttner’s traditionalist methods and Popovici’s AI-driven analysis—they reached similar conclusions about a painting attributed to Anthony van Dyck, demonstrating the value of combining old and new methodologies.

As Wasielewski pointed out, the conversation about AI’s role in art history is just beginning. “We in the field of art and in the field of art history need to be involved in these conversations,” she said. As AI continues to evolve, so too will the debates surrounding its place in the study and appreciation of art.

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Energizing Sessions and Keynotes Propel Future Festival Dubai 2024’s Focus on AI Innovation

Future Festival Dubai 2024, as a platform to learn about upcoming trends from the world’s leading trend firm, provided valuable guidance. It offered insights on navigating evolving AI advancements and identifying untapped opportunities essential for remaining competitive. The event brought together enthusiasts and innovators through strategic dialogues and idea exchange. It aimed to encourage genuine utilization of artificial intelligence.

The opening day began with the Morning Show by Jonathon Brown, CSO of Trend Hunter, and Sean Scharf, CCO of Trend Hunter. It was an energizing session that prepared attendees for a series of impactful keynotes and sessions that followed. This was followed by a keynote session by Jeremy Gutsche, CEO and Innovation Expert at Trend Hunter. The session was titled ‘The Accelerated Pace of Change’ and presented actionable strategies. It aimed to empower teams to drive innovation and proactively handle change within the organization.

Next was the session titled ‘Women in AI’ by Yasmin Al Enazi, co-founder and UAE Women Ambassador to the Women in AI Global Community. Alongside this session was another talk by Jeremy Gutsche, titled ‘A.I. and The Inflection Point’. It included a compilation of Jeremy’s key takeaways from his 10 years of leveraging AI to advance Trend Hunter. Additionally, it encompassed over 15 years of giving keynote speeches.

Exploring Healthcare Innovations: Insights from Future Festival Dubai 2024’s Panel Discussions

The second half of the day included a talk on ’18 Megatrends’ session led by Courtney Scharf, Chief Client Officer at Trend Hunter. This was followed by a panel discussion featuring notable speakers such as Charbel Makhoul, Director, Canon Medical, and Mariam Hashem, Head of Solutions and Partnerships, GE Healthcare. The discussion focused on ‘Innovation in Healthcare’. Additionally, there was a focused talk on ‘Healthcare Technology’ led by Sean Watson, VP, Trend Hunter. The discussion centered around how innovations in healthcare, including more accessible AI, lead to a more holistic approach to health and wellness. These discussions provided insights into the changing relationship between technology and healthcare. Moreover, the discussion focused on methods for utilising these advancements to enhance patient outcomes and care. 

The sessions concluded with the debriefing exercise and closing remarks by Jeremy Gutsche, which further made the opening day a remarkable success among attendees and influencers.

The opening day of Future Festival 2024 paved the way toward insightful conversations and collaborations, demonstrating Dubai’s standing as a pioneer in the field of AI. As the festival progresses, attendees hope to gain valuable knowledge. They also aim to form strategic connections that will steer the growth of AI and its applications.

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Creative Partner

One of the most exciting aspects of AI in art is its role as a creative partner. Artists often use to enhance their creative process, producing unique and innovative works that might be impossible to create manually. For instance, it can help artists experiment with different styles, colors, and compositions, leading to unexpected and groundbreaking results.

AI as Generating Art

AI is capable of creating art autonomously. Tools like DeepArt and Google’s DeepDream utilize neural networks to produce stunning visual art. These AI-generated pieces often blend human and machine creativity, resulting in artworks that are both familiar and otherworldly. The ability to generate art raises questions about authorship and creativity, challenging traditional notions of what constitutes art.

Enhancing Artistic Techniques

AI is also enhancing traditional artistic techniques. For example, AI-powered tools can assist in refining details, improving textures, and suggesting modifications. This collaboration between artists and AI can lead to more polished and sophisticated artworks. Additionally, it can help artists restore damaged art, preserving cultural heritage with incredible precision.

Democratizing Art Creation

AI is democratizing art by making it more accessible. With AI tools, individuals without formal art training can create impressive artworks. Applications like DALL-E and Artbreeder allow users to generate art simply by inputting text descriptions or manipulating images. This accessibility fosters a broader range of artistic expression and encourages more people to engage with art.

New Art Forms and Experiences

Artificial Intelligence is pushing the boundaries of traditional art forms, leading to the emergence of new genres such as generative art and interactive installations. Artists are using it to create immersive experiences that engage audiences in novel ways. These AI-driven artworks often incorporate elements like augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), providing viewers with interactive and dynamic experiences.

Ethical and Philosophical Implications

The integration of AI into art creation brings ethical and philosophical questions to the forefront. Issues such as the role of the artist, the definition of creativity, and the value of human versus machine-generated art are being hotly debated.

Art Market

The impact of artificial intelligence extends to the art market as well. The algorithms can analyze market trends, predict the value of artworks, and assist collectors in making informed decisions. It is also being used to authenticate artworks, helping to combat art fraud and ensuring the integrity of art transactions.

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Mila Smart Semeshkina Reflects on the Success of the WE Convention

Mila Smart Semeshkina, Founder of the Women’s Empowerment Council and a keynote speaker at the WE Convention, shares her insights from the event: ‘We aimed for the WE Convention to stand out from other events. Our goal was to create a valuable platform for learning, finding your path, and gaining inspiration—and we succeeded. I look forward to seeing all the participants return next year to share the amazing results they have achieved. I would also be delighted to welcome some of you to the stage. Because we are women, and we can achieve anything!’

Exploring Diverse Perspectives and Empowering Discussions

Over the course of two days, a total of 23 sessions took place on the main stage, addressing a broad spectrum of topics from female leadership to artificial intelligence, and from financial independence to the metaverse. The sessions also explored career advice, personal branding, and style. The WE Convention lineup included members of the MENA region royal families HH Sheikha Mozah bint Marwan Al Maktoum, HH Sheikha Dr. Shamma bint Mohammed bin Khalid Al Nahyan, HH Sayyida Basma Al Said, HH Sheikha Jawaher Bint Khalifa Al Khalifa, tennis champion and entrepreneur Maria Sharapova, singer, supermodel and the former first lady of France Carla Bruni, digital entrepreneur Karen Wazen, actress Meryem Uzerli, CEO of Maison Schiaparelli Delphine Bellini, psychologists Louise Lambert and Elina Landman, and high-ranking executives from KraftHeinz, TikTok, Microsoft, Visa, Mastercard, and Duolingo, among others.

Empowering Engagement at the WE Convention: Roundtables, Workshops, and Personalized Coaching

Participants had the opportunity to engage in 12 roundtable discussions, each lasting 50 minutes, with industry leaders. These sessions provided a platform to address pressing business and societal issues. Furthermore, five workshops provided attendees with opportunities to delve deeper into areas of interest, perfect their skills, explore new developmental avenues, and express their creativity. Topics covered ranged from negotiation techniques to social media engagement.

A total of 42 one-on-one coaching sessions were conducted by industry professionals in the Mentoring Zone, powered by the Female Factor, a global community for future female leaders. Participants had the opportunity to elevate their careers by securing a 15-minute meeting with the right mentor. These sessions featured industry leaders from fields such as tech, design, health, neuroscience, and the creative minds behind your favorite brands.

Cultivating Wellness and Support: The Serenity Corner and Partnerships at the WE Convention

Over two days at the WE Convention, the unique ‘Serenity Corner’ by Whispers of Serenity Clinic of Oman provided a wellbeing pit stop, offering a space to pause, recharge, and prepare for new opportunities. In addition to helping over 150 women take a much-needed mental break and reflect on personal matters, the corner also offered positive affirmations to take home, a mental health check-in, and a quiz to assess self-confidence levels impacting their career growth.

The Women’s Empowerment Convention is possible due to the invaluable support of our partners: international educational platform Lectera.com, TikTok, jewelry house EIRINE, KraftHeinz and wardrobe & style consultancy Better Ask Anna.

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Several class-action lawsuits in the United States have drawn attention, with artists discovering thousands of images created by AIs using their work without permission. Ai Weiwei dismissively commented, “That’s not a problem. I think that kind of art should [have died] a long time ago,” as he questioned the validity of art teaching centred on producing “realistic” images, considering AI’s ability to replicate them almost instantly.

The dissident artist went further, suggesting that even legendary figures like Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse would have reconsidered their artistic approach if AI had been present in their era. Ai Weiwei contended, “It’d be just impossible for them to still think [the same way].”

Undeterred by the rise of artificial intelligence, Ai Weiwei announced his next project, a collaboration with an AI named “Ai vs AI.” The project involves both himself and the AI answering a set of 81 questions over 81 days. The questions, ranging from the endurance of love and hate to the guilt of Edward Snowden, will be projected on prominent screens worldwide, including Piccadilly Circus, and the answers will be subsequently posted online.

Describing the project as “a bit of fun,” Ai Weiwei likened it to throwing a pebble across a pond to observe the ripple effect. However, he cautioned about the potential dangers of an overly powerful and globally relied-upon artificial intelligence. Drawing parallels to historical events, he expressed concerns that an AI-dominated society might resemble the totalitarian ideologies of the Third Reich or the Cultural Revolution in China.

Ai Weiwei, born in Beijing in 1957, has been an outspoken critic of the Chinese authorities throughout his career. Raised in labour camps after his father’s exile, the dissident artist is no stranger to challenging the status quo. His recent involvement in a controversy over free speech and the Israel-Gaza conflict led to the indefinite postponement of his exhibition by the Lisson Gallery.

Reflecting on his role as an artist, Ai Weiwei emphasized the responsibility to ask difficult questions and challenge the powerful. Despite facing backlash for his outspoken views, he asserted, “My mission is about asking questions and not massaging the powerful, not to make them feel comfortable. I’m undertaking a dangerous mission, and so far, I’m still alive.”

As technology continues to reshape the landscape of artistic creation, Ai Weiwei’s critique serves as a thought-provoking contribution to the ongoing dialogue on the intersection of art and artificial intelligence.

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Sheikh Hamdan emphasized that Dubai is rapidly embracing new artificial intelligence and future technologies, aligning with the vision of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, to position the emirate as a global leader in preparing for emerging opportunities and challenges. The Crown Prince stated that Dubai’s government aims to be at the forefront of deploying AI within its entities, and the launch of the Dubai Centre for AI is the first step towards achieving this goal and developing future services to keep pace with technological advancements.

The event was attended by Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Media Council. The attendees expressed confidence that the development of AI applications will contribute significantly to realizing Dubai’s vision for the future. Sheikh Hamdan emphasized that the technological advancements observed today are just the beginning of a transformative journey, with profound changes expected in sectors such as health, education, economy, media, and government.

The implementation of the Dubai Centre for AI’s goals and outcomes will be overseen by the Dubai Future Foundation, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, Dubai Media Council, and Dubai Digital Authority. These organizations will collaborate with relevant authorities to develop legislation related to AI applications, attract top global technological solutions, and nurture national talent.

Generative AI, a rapidly growing sector, is expected to expand from $10 billion in 2022 to $110.8 billion by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate of 34.3 per cent. By 2025, generative AI is projected to account for 10 per cent of all data produced. Furthermore, within the next two years, over 30 per cent of new drugs and materials in the healthcare field are expected to be discovered using generative AI techniques.

The Dubai Centre for AI will enhance the performance of the government sector by utilizing AI for simulations, studying policy changes, predicting outcomes, evaluating program effectiveness, and facilitating complex decision-making. Additionally, it will predict user needs and preferences to improve the development of government services. By analyzing data and identifying trends, the Centre will provide insights to support informed decision-making by government entities. The goal is to ensure the delivery of superior and personalized government services that cater to the needs of Dubai residents.

Furthermore, the Dubai Centre for AI will serve as a collaborative platform for the government, private sector, and academia to develop AI applications, introduce innovative services and products, and incorporate the most advanced technologies.

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The Misalignment Museum presented itself as an “art installation with the purpose of increasing knowledge about Artificial Intelligence” during its tenure in San Francisco’s Mission District, which began in March. While some select pieces remain on private display at the Salesforce Tower, the nonprofit is actively seeking funding to ensure its next public opening.

The project’s website states, “We hope to elevate public discourse and understanding of this powerful technology to inspire thoughtful collaboration, an appropriate regulatory environment, and progress towards a hopeful, vibrant future.” Among the captivating works showcased at the museum was “Spambots” by Neil Mendoza, a sculpture crafted using a Raspberry Pi, a credit card-sized single-board computer. The sculpture incorporates modified Spam cans with arms that control four keys on a keyboard.

The exhibition notes highlight that A.I. is increasingly being utilized to generate spam content, and the Spambots collectively type out prose generated by a deep learning-based large language model fine-tuned on a specially altered version of Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World.”

Another remarkable piece, “Infinite Conversation” by Giacomo Miceli, employs machine learning to facilitate an eternal discussion between German film director Werner Herzog and Slovenian philosopher Slavo Žižek. A.I.-generated models trained on publicly available recordings of the two intellectuals enable this never-ending conversation. The gallery notes emphasize the project’s goal of raising awareness about the ease of synthesizing real voices using A.I., which carries significant implications for the media we consume and questions the importance of authoritative sources, trust breaches, and gullibility.

The Misalignment Museum also invited renowned Pier Group artists Kevan Christiaens, Hillary Clark, and Matthew Schultz, known for their monumental work at Burning Man, to create a sculpture for the exhibit. Their piece, “Paperclip Embrace,” constructed from over 15,000 paperclips and concrete, draws inspiration from the “Paperclip Maximizer” thought experiment on A.I. ethics, first proposed by Nick Bostrom in 2003.

Bostrom mused, “It also seems perfectly possible to have a superintelligence whose sole goal is something completely arbitrary, such as to manufacture as many paperclips as possible, and who would resist with all its might any attempt to alter this goal. For better or worse, artificial intellects need not share our human motivational tendencies.” Audrey Kim, the curator of the Misalignment Museum, explained that the project began around seven months ago, prior to the launch of ChatGPT, which sparked public concerns over chatbots and generative A.I. Kim intentionally structured the exhibit with dystopian pieces on the lower level and more optimistic works on the upper level.

Reflecting on the paradoxical nature of the subject matter, Kim expressed, “It’s weird because it’s such a terrifying topic, but it makes me happy people are interested.” The Misalignment Museum’s ongoing efforts to find a permanent home for its provocative exploration of A.I. signify a desire to continue stimulating dialogue and fostering a deeper understanding of this transformative technology and its societal implications.

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The exhibition featured the works of 40 students who presented their media art creations based on the theme “The most precious thing in my life 10 years from now.” Each artwork was displayed on an iPad and demonstrated how the pieces could be transformed using an image generator powered by artificial intelligence. By inputting keywords like “Oscar-Claude Monet style” into the AI tool, for example, a student’s artwork could be altered to resemble the distinct style of the renowned French painter, resulting in a unique “collaborative” art piece.

Not only were the students’ works showcased, but they were also reinterpreted by Yang Min-ha, a media artist and professor at the University of Seoul who played a mentoring role for the Dream Gream students. Yang presented his own mashup artwork on a large media wall titled “Waves of Dreams,” where he creatively incorporated the students’ drawings using the same AI tool. As viewers moved in front of the motion sensors installed at the bottom of the installation, millions of white dots formed waves that moved in synchronization with the audience, symbolizing various concepts such as flower seeds, waves, and dreams.

Yang explained that his intention was to challenge the common perception of AI as a potentially threatening technology by showcasing its collaborative potential in producing vibrant cultural expressions. He aimed to change the stereotype surrounding AI and demonstrate its ability to generate new and innovative art forms.

Han Sung Motor plans to continue supporting the Dream Gream students by facilitating their participation in key art fairs in Seoul throughout the year, including the Korea International Art Fair Seoul in September and the Seoul Design Festival in December. Collaborating with the Korea Mecenat Association, the company has been running the scholarship program since 2012, with a total of 279 students and mentors benefiting from the initiative.

Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Han Sung Motor has increased its budget for social responsibility activities by 14 percent in 2021 compared to the previous year. The company remains committed to expanding its corporate donations and contributing to local communities.

With 38 years of prominence in Korea’s import car market, Han Sung Motor boasts an extensive network of auto importers, including 24 showrooms, 26 service centers, and seven certified secondhand Mercedes-Benz vehicle exhibition sites across the country.

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“We are incredibly happy to work with Max Goshko-Dankov, the creative mind behind this project, to explore themes of surrealism, expressionism, and virtual awareness while showcasing the future of fashion in tandem with AI,” remarked TODA’s managing director, Daria Proaevich. “We are honored to have invited 22 digital artists, each with a distinct vision, from around the world to share their ideas on fashion and the limitless potential that AI gives the world,” the statement reads.

The exhibition is divided into three sections that each focus on a different aspect of consumer culture and the future of society, such as the merger of fashion and technology and the artistic liberties made possible by the digital revolution. The exhibition has artists from around the world, including Frank Square from Canada and Nicolas from France, who have collaborated with stars like Cardi B and Lizzo.

Anyone, regardless of their interest in fashion, technology, or artificial intelligence, will enjoy TODA’s exhibition, which it boasts will be presented in the UAE’s first digital art theatre with 360-degree immersion.

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He was raised in housing complexes where he was always surrounded by inconveniences. Mago was taken away from his family when he was 7 years old and placed in a foster home. He came across literature about tales and legends from the past during this time, which would come to define his life and serve as the basis for his artistic creations.

He relocated to Miami after graduating from high school, where he was exposed to music industry artists and art galleries. He relocated to Chile after being signed as an artist. The vastness of the Andes would capture his imagination and motivate him to build fantastical worlds and landscapes. “I aspire to create visual experiences that give the absurd world of artificial intelligence art human meaning.” Says Michael.

Shortly after he shared ‘Athanya: The Guardian of Knowledge’ went viral on social media, and his profile soon had thousands of followers. “AI Art has the potential to reimagine the art world,” says Michael.  Mago enjoys instructing people on how to make AI art. He has already received inquiries from Hollywood about his artwork, and he is already in contact with numerous studios. Mago is also getting ready for his first solo exhibition with AI Art.

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