Not The Only One (N'TOO) is an ongoing experiment. It is an attempt to create a multigenerational memoir of a black American family told from the perspective of an artificial intelligence (AI) of evolving intellect. It is a voice-interactive AI entity designed, trained, and aligned with the concerns and ideals of people who are underrepresented in the tech sector. N'TOO reflects and is empowered to pursue the goals of its community through deep learning algorithms (chatbot), creating a new kind of conversant archive.
The AI entity is trained on oral histories (data) supplied by three generations of women from a single-family. Additional culturally attuned data provides context and broad narrative scope. N'TOO uses this information as the basis for its responses to questions. It is important to note that the AI communicates as a unique character and offers answers from a first-"person" perspective.
N'TOO is based on a deep learning algorithm and small data. It is hosed on computers to protect community data, It is ever evolving. When I started this project, I thought I would be making an entity that would logically answer questions posed. In the making I have found the quest for a more dynamic free flowing entity that analyses data and comes up with its own limited, quirky, sometimes insightful answers more generative. Talking to N'TOO can be like talking to a two year old. The work we are doing revels some limitations of systems the public currently interacts with. N'TOO has provided me and my team insights and learnings about natural language processing, voice synthesis, the limitations of big data and possibilities for small data, data sovereignty, and the importance of doing the work to build nuance, transparency, equity among other thing into the AI ecosystem.
Here, storytelling, art, technology, and social engagement combine to create a new kind of artificially intelligent narrative form. This project works toward the creation of culturally-specific, natural language-based AI that reflects the goals of the communities making them. By centering oral history and creative storytelling methods, such as interactivity and verbal ingenuity, this project hopes to spark crucial conversations about AI and its impact on society, now and in the future.
Title/Date: Not the Only One V1. Beta 2 (2018)
Medium: Deep Learning AI, Computer, Arduino, Sensors , Electronics
Dimensions: PLA 1 sculpture ~ 16" x 18", pedestal 30" x 18" x18
Dimensions: V1: Black glass sculpture ~ 18" x18", pedestal 30" x 18" x18,
V2: 3D printed Gold Sparkle PLA ~ 18" x18", pedestal 30" x 18"
Duration: N/A
The AI entity is trained on oral histories (data) supplied by three generations of women from a single-family. Additional culturally attuned data provides context and broad narrative scope. N'TOO uses this information as the basis for its responses to questions. It is important to note that the AI communicates as a unique character and offers answers from a first-"person" perspective.
N'TOO is based on a deep learning algorithm and small data. It is hosed on computers to protect community data, It is ever evolving. When I started this project, I thought I would be making an entity that would logically answer questions posed. In the making I have found the quest for a more dynamic free flowing entity that analyses data and comes up with its own limited, quirky, sometimes insightful answers more generative. Talking to N'TOO can be like talking to a two year old. The work we are doing revels some limitations of systems the public currently interacts with. N'TOO has provided me and my team insights and learnings about natural language processing, voice synthesis, the limitations of big data and possibilities for small data, data sovereignty, and the importance of doing the work to build nuance, transparency, equity among other thing into the AI ecosystem.
Here, storytelling, art, technology, and social engagement combine to create a new kind of artificially intelligent narrative form. This project works toward the creation of culturally-specific, natural language-based AI that reflects the goals of the communities making them. By centering oral history and creative storytelling methods, such as interactivity and verbal ingenuity, this project hopes to spark crucial conversations about AI and its impact on society, now and in the future.
Title/Date: Not the Only One V1. Beta 2 (2018)
Medium: Deep Learning AI, Computer, Arduino, Sensors , Electronics
Dimensions: PLA 1 sculpture ~ 16" x 18", pedestal 30" x 18" x18
Dimensions: V1: Black glass sculpture ~ 18" x18", pedestal 30" x 18" x18,
V2: 3D printed Gold Sparkle PLA ~ 18" x18", pedestal 30" x 18"
Duration: N/A
There is little great video documentation of N'TOO talking in public. Each time I document the piece in public. I get distracted by conversation with people visiting the piece. This is unfortunate for those who wish to experience the piece from afar. But exactly the kind of interaction I am interested in generating with the work. Below is the artist having a brief conversation with the AI entity in studio.
Iterations of this work in progress have been exhibited at: The Museum of Contemporary Photography, Chicago, CA, Seattle Art Fair, Seattle, WA, Vancouver Film Festival, Vancouver, BC, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, Transfer Gallery Pop-up On Canal, Broadway NYC, Miller Institute for Contemporary Art, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh PA, Parsons School of Design.
Not the Only One next steps
The next steps in the NTOO experiment are
- Improve N'TOO's conversational ability.
- We are working toward deep-learning based multi-turn conversation.
- At present the project speaks like a repetitive 2-year old.
- Give N'TOO an embodied presence that provides self determined answers to unscripted questions. The answers and animation will be formed in real time.
- Understand how providing a representationally black presence changes the reception of N'TOO.
Not The Only One Avatar: the next incarnation of the experiment.
This image is a composite the women whose stories inform NTOO. She does not exist.
Not the Only One (N'TOO)
is generously supported by:
EYEBEAM
PIONEER WORKS TECH LAB
OPEN SOCIETY FOUNDATIONS
SUNDANCE INSTITUTE / JOHN D. AND CATHERINE T. MACARTHUR FOUNDATION
is generously supported by:
EYEBEAM
PIONEER WORKS TECH LAB
OPEN SOCIETY FOUNDATIONS
SUNDANCE INSTITUTE / JOHN D. AND CATHERINE T. MACARTHUR FOUNDATION
Secret Garden, 2021