Data Nation: Local exhibit examines A.I.

Old City’s National Liberty Museum is examining the forcefield of technology in its latest exhibition.

Now through Oct. 30, ‘Data Nation: Democracy in the Age of A.I.’ puts a spotlight on everyday technology through info-heavy installations, echo chambers and touch-tone artworks.

Starting with a dare from Dr. Elizabeth Grant, National Liberty Museum’s Chief Program Officer — “Democracies depend on a free exchange of ideas, and rapid advances in technology mean we communicate faster and farther than ever before” –  ‘Data Nation’ explores the impact of data-driven communications technologies on democracy and the personal liberties it’s meant to protect.

“Liberty is a collaborative effort that involves the engagement of so many different voices,” said Grant.

So too, then, does the interactive, immersive ‘Data Nation’ and the outsourcing of literal-figurative artwork and its oversized tech-heavy mementos seek partnership from Philly community members such as Vox Populi gallery and the Center for Immersive Media at University of the Arts.

‘Data Nation’s conversations in-and-around new communication technologies such as ChatGPT and OpenAI GPT-3 readily present all sides of A.I., including its potential downsides. One such warning comes with a pink exhibit plaque quoting anthropologist Steven Gonzalez Monserrate that reads “The cloud now has a greater carbon footprint than the airline industry. A single data-center consumes the equivalent electricity of 50,000 homes.”

The immersive dome installation created by U-Arts at the center of ‘Data Nation’ — an Apollo moon landing-looking capsule — allows viewers entrance and opportunity to type ideas into its kiosk mainframe. From there, each typed phrase is pumped into ChatGPT where its algorithms will rephrase/re-articulate your text into different specter-like voices and varieties of pulsating lights.

“For a minute, you are at the center of your own ideas being validated back to you,” noted Grant. “That experience can be overwhelming and anxiety-inducing. But diverse ideas and perspectives is what we are encouraging visitors to do. We can see and hear what people are writing and how they are reacting.”

PhotoBot aging collages, illuminating “Data Never Sleeps” graphics pies, glowing-phosphorous-green cut glass sculptures and the collaborative works are all huge points of reference within ‘Data Nation’. Even the exhibition’s entryway title font is designed via A.I. and presents the random contentions of natural vs. unnatural selection.

As issues of copyright, pre-destined algorithmic selection and machine rule persist, is A.I. a positive or negative influence?

“The intention of the ‘Data Nation’ exhibition, and the NLM itself, is to bring everyone together to ask that very question,” said Grant. “We present the challenges, the questions and the evidence. We encourage our visitors to reflect on those issues, and tell us what values of a democratic system – equality, opportunity, empathy, freedom of expression – most matter to them.”

For more information, visit libertymuseum.org/exhibits/data-nation