Process Notes

CeremonyLM:
A Community Language Model

KEY WORDS:

artists, people, posture, work, interesting, build, conversation, interact, foresight, cool, sense, totally, curious, customs, feel, AI, photos, synthesizing, ruined

This reflection was from July 10, 2024.

I’m an artist, strategist, and writer. Much of my work is about sensing future potential. I founded From Later, a studio devoted to speculative and long-term thinking. Our practice is a weird self-reinforcing braid of artistic processes, futures research, and management consulting. One day we’re installing a public monument to a fictional world, the next we’re crafting strategy for a tech firm. I enjoy sharing how we do what we do, and have been fortunate to guide others through our processes in professional training, academic, and art residency contexts.

Along with From Later and my board role at Ukai Projects, I’m also part of Memory Work Collective and recently joined the editorial team at the arts magazine, Newest.

I get joy from making songs. As a fun flex: I have a co-writing credit on the theme song to the Netflix animated series, Inside Job.

UNFORTUNATELY Rob and I were speaking for about an hour before I realized I didn’t hit record on our meeting..... however, I did manage to capture the last 30 minutes which were still pretty juicy. Rob had just wrote a thoughtful piece on the evolution of NPC’s (non-playable/non-player characters) which was hella interesting to discuss and had us pondering if society is actually, perhaps subconsciously, searching for something spiritual within the realms of generative language. I’ve included screen grabs from Rob’s essay below. You’ll then find the AI summary of (part) of our meeting. 

I recommend reading his piece: The NPC: An unplayable character for unnarratable times. I wondered about the trend towards role-playing an NPC, irl (and I don't mean making sound effects on screen, but rather a person who takes a backseat at the function and ~enjoys the ride~). What worries me about the utopian attitude of "choosing" to not participate (on the greater political, societal level - not just @ the party) is, of course, not only who is afforded that choice, but also, I worry about the underpinning desire behind the choice itself.

Is claiming NPC a choice made out of fear or overwhelm? And if so, is that really a choice or rather a surrender?

A lot of CEREMONY's Digital Greenhouse Project is to investigate ways we can interact with technology that builds capacity for complexity and nuance. I'm aiming to demonstrate relationships with technology that require our active participation instead of erasing the need for human involvement.

In a way, I want to build something that forces the user to find themselves. How can we interact and co-exist amongst differences and amongst questions that do not have Chat GPT answers to?  



During a talk with The STOA, Rob’s presentation and the following discussion had me further wondering whether the NPC (non-playable/non-player character) characteristics could fall into somewhat of a trauma-response category, less of a choice we make but rather a subconscious state of being in response to the changing environment. The general archetypes are fight, flight, freeze, and fawn ... could NPC be the next identifiable coping mechanism therapists start to address in individuals and groups? I prefer this framing over the idea we are choosing to be passive participants in society, politics, etc., but maybe I’m just being optimistic (as much as I can classify a universal trauma response as “optimistic”). However, thinking it might be a trauma response gives me hope there is something to be healed here. Thinking it is an active choice gives me very little hope and, quite honestly, confuses me.

Screen grab from Rob’s presentation and a packed infographic breaking down the metacrisis.




Moving onto our meeting ...

Rob and Katie’s conversation explores the impact of AI on the music industry and the evolving role of artists. Robert discusses how AI might diminish revenue streams like licensing for film and television, emphasizing the need for artists to perform live to maintain relevance. Katie highlights the importance of self-exploration and authenticity in art, noting that AI could expose the gap between public persona and true identity. They also discuss the concept of "posturing" in art and the potential of AI to create personalized memory banks for artists, aiding in self-reflection and creative synthesis. The idea of using AI to help aging artists complete unfinished work is also considered as a potential business model.

Impact of AI on Music and Artistic Identity

• Robert discusses the potential impact of AI on the music industry, particularly on licensing for film and television, which has been a significant revenue source.
• Robert notes that AI might make it easier for film and television producers to use pre-existing music, reducing the need for live performances and merchandise sales.
• Katie reflects on the importance of self-exploration and authenticity for artists, emphasizing the need to connect genuinely with others rather than emulating others.

• Robert and Katie discuss the challenges of maintaining authenticity in a digital age dominated by bots and automation.

The Concept of Posturing in Art

• Robert introduces the theme of "Posturing", noting that artists often joke about it but are reluctant to discuss it deeply.

• Robert defines posturing as the act of choosing what to present publicly, influenced by external factors like peers and institutions.
• Katie mentions "Glitch Feminism" by Legacy Russell, which discusses the importance of glitches in revealing the true selves behind postures.

• Robert and Katie explore the idea that vulnerability and authenticity can foster deeper connections with audiences, despite the fear of judgment.

The Role of Social Media and Personal Branding

• Katie and Robert discuss the changing dynamics of social media, with trends and expectations influencing how people present themselves online.
• Robert shares their approach to avoiding conventional social media practices, such as taking photos of food or movie posters.
• Katie reflects on the collective acceptance of online behaviors and the importance of understanding that everyone uses social media differently.
• Robert and Katie  consider the implications of these trends on how they interact with social media and build their online presence.

Future Directions for Their Collaboration

• Robert expresses curiosity about Katie’s project and the potential for collaboration, mentioning a piece they wrote on Art in the Age of AI. (NPC Piece linked above)
• Katie shares her plans to start building something and take online courses on machine learning and coding.
• Robert suggests using a foresight tool to map out the process and document their conversations, which Katie finds interesting.
• Katie describes her small language model project, which aims to incorporate sound and movement, and how it reflects her curiosity about self-expression and creativity.

Exploring the Potential of Personal Memory Banks

•  Robert and Katie discuss the idea of creating a personal memory bank using AI to help artists explore their past and present.
• Katie mentions a project where someone trained a model on their childhood journal entries, highlighting the potential for personal reflection.
• Robert suggests that such a tool could be valuable for artists to recall and synthesize their thoughts, potentially leading to new creative insights.
• Katie considers the idea of offering this service to artists, helping them digitize their work and create custom AI tools for self-exploration.

Potential Business Models and Applications

• Robert explores the idea of creating a business model for the AI tool, suggesting it could be a service for artists to digitize and analyze their work.
• Katie reflects on the potential for this service to help aging artists complete unfinished work and engage with their past in a meaningful way.
• Robert and Katie discuss the possibility of offering this service to artists who can afford it, creating a niche market for personalized AI tools.
• Katie finds the idea energizing and appreciates the feedback, considering the potential for collaboration and further development of the project.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT

Ceremony is a web platform that hosts an evolving catalogue of community conversations. The content is designed to bring together works by both professional and emerging artists. This project will build a live language model with the catalogue, allowing readers to participate in the creation of art via an interface designed with equity and accessibility in mind. The project aims to democratize digital tools, increase digital and data literacy through discussion, and pave the way for other creative and accessible AI applications within the artistic community.