Emerging tech is growing in leaps and bounds in the first month of 2024, with headline advances in AI, cryptocurrency, and VR. Conversation around AI ethics continues, and young advocates take the lead in promoting a positive AI future. Meanwhile, Apple Vision Pro launches for pre-sale, partnering with entertainment leaders like Amazon Prime and Disney+ to spark demand for the product. 

For those interested in cryptocurrency and blockchain, the SEC approved bitcoin ETFs, and more than $4 billion was exchanged on the first day of trading. Additionally, privacy concerns push Google Chrome to phase out third-party cookies by the end of 2024, though advertisers worry about Chrome's hold on the market. 

And, while blockchain is known for being less-than sustainable, Artists are considering the environmental impact of their work, and exploring regenerative materials in their practice - from fine art to set design. 

AI Completes Keith Haring’s Unfinished Painting

Keith Haring was diagnosed with AIDs in 1988, and created Unfinished Painting (1989) in the year leading up to his death due to complications from the disease. The artist intentionally left a majority of the canvas blank, as commentary on the AIDs crisis. After X user Brooke Peachley shared the original piece, another user employed A.I. to complete the work - an action that was met with significant backlash. According to many, the shared “completed” piece violated Haring’s intent and poorly represents the artist’s style, unable to capture the human forms used in the original piece. For many, the fact that it was completed using A.I. seems to add insult to injury.

“To do so using generative AI, a computer program that cannot feel the weight of what it is doing nor create with any sort of human intention, only adds to the disrespect,” Peachley told Smithsonian. 

This exemplifies one of the core conversations around ethical use of AI in engaging with an artist’s work.

Interview with Sneha Revanur, “the Greta Thunberg of AI”

When 18-year-old Sneha Revanur isn’t attending classes at Williams College, she may be at the nation’s capital advocating for an ethical future in AI. Last year, she was named one of Time’s Most Influential People, and Politico labeled her “the Greta Thunberg of AI.” 

In 2020, Revanur founded an organization called Encode Justice, focused on mobilizing young people against a California Proposition 25 replacing the cash bail system with a risk algorithm which was shown to reinforce racial bias. Revanur has remained committed to advocacy around AI’s ethical concerns. In a recent interview with theBulletin of Atomic Scientists, she discusses her work

Apple Vision Pro To Launch February 2

The Apple Vision Pro headset is now available for pre-order, with the launch date set to February 2. Prices for the “spatial computing” device start at $3499, with additional add-ons available. While Apple brings their sleek design to the virtual reality market, reviewers are divided on whether consumer demand will take off for the somewhat bulky product. Within the first week, pre-orders were estimated at approximately 160,000-180,000 devices. 
A variety of entertainment experiences will be available on the headset, including streaming through Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, ESPN, and Paramount+ among others. However, streaming competitors Netflix, Youtube, and Spotify are refraining from developing costly apps for the device.

SEC Approved Bitcoin ETFs

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission approved bitcoin-based Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs). Essentially, this change allows investors to purchase shares of an ETF containing bitcoin, without the complications of owning cryptocurrency or managing a wallet directly. 
Creates a limited legal framework for trading bitcoin, this change builds the perception of legitimacy around cryptocurrency while underscoring its position as an asset to be exchanged rather than a bonafide currency. On the first day of trading, more than $4 billion changed hands, and it is predicted that bitcoin ETFs could bring in close to $14.4 billion within the first year. This could alleviate some public uncertainty about cryptocurrency and blockchain technology, and signal a larger investment in Web3.

Google Phasing Out Cookies

By the end of 2024, Google plans to remove use of third-party cookies for all Chrome users in a project called “Privacy Sandbox.” The transition started this month, with third-party cookies for cross-site tracking restricted for about 1% of Chrome users, or approximately 30 million people. Google is introducing software to replace cookies, which addresses advertiser needs while placing a higher protection on user privacy. 

Advertisers are voicing concerns, as many rely on this data to track user behavior and measure ad success, and claim that Google’s replacement is not enough. Chrome users account for more than 65% of the browser market, and concerns are being raised that this may bring more centralized advertising power to Google.

Artists Explore Regenerative Materials

A new exhibition at MoMA, Life Cycles: The Materials of Contemporary Design, creates a platform for regenerative design and consideration of the full life cycle of materials. Pieces explore the ways that natural materials can meet current needs without creating harmful long-term impact. Combining “cutting-edge” technology with elements of the natural world, pieces in the exhibition include Mycelium Brick, made from mushroom root systems, a vase made from honeycombs, cups made from algae, and even lamps crafted from cow dung. 

Beyond use in the creation of art, regenerative materials are being explored for a variety of uses within the arts and cultural space. A report released in late 2023 by Team Love, in partnership with the Arts Council of England, shares findings regarding mycelium as a material for festival installation builds and set design. 

The project followed the construction of the Hayes Pavilion at Glastonbury Festival using mycelium panels, which were initially designed by Biohm as insulation material. This report shares  the opportunities and challenges of using the material in a new way, including a better understanding of the environmental impact, technical challenges, and community response.