Current — AMT Lab @ CMU

Arts & Technology

TBT: Art and AI

TBT: Art and AI

In late August, Jason Allen's AI-generated artwork "Théâtre D'opéra Spatial" took first place in the digital category at the Colorado State Fair. One critic called it "the death of artistry." But others, like Shelly Palmer, say if he crossed a line, "we’ve been walking up to the edge for decades." Allen himself believes AI-generated art will eventually become its own category.

Today, we're looking back at some of the ways AI has been incorporated into the visual arts realm.

NFTs: Digital Renaissance or Death Knell of Traditional Art?

NFTs: Digital Renaissance or Death Knell of Traditional Art?

The hype around non-fungible tokens (NFTs) seems to be reaching a fever pitch. With news of certain digital art pieces selling for tens of millions of dollars and conjecture about what utility these tokens may have outside of the art world, for better or for worse, Web3 has arrived. These technological developments are not just demonstrating a technological evolution, though. They are also creating massive disruption across the visual art industry. The advent of NFTs is spurring a digital r

2021 Top 10 Most-Read Articles

2021 Top 10 Most-Read Articles

As we welcome 2022 for myriad reasons, be sure to catch up on what you missed in 2021 by reading out top 10 most read articles. Surprisingly (or not), while the last year continued to show interest in covid’s impact on technology and work, our readers were curious about a broad set of content — from NFTs to using technology to track dance. Which of these articles did you read, or miss?

Could It Be Sentience or Just Expert Coding? The Emerging Role of Robots in the Arts

Could It Be Sentience or Just Expert Coding? The Emerging Role of Robots in the Arts

Few innovations represent the intersection of humanity and technology more famously than that of the robot. Like art, robots are the result of humanity’s urge to create something new in its own image – and, also like art, they have become an inescapable part of our world. In a post-pandemic world whose inhabitants have become accustomed to virtual experiences, these robotic arts roles, including facilitating virtual museum visits, performing through a computer program rather than a script, and creating what maybe approaching original and creative art, are probably here to stay.

Artistic Futures: Digital Interactive Installations

Artistic Futures: Digital Interactive Installations

The concept of interactivity in the artistic field became popular in the 1950s due to the realization that interactive art could serve as a bridge between connecting artists and audiences in new ways. More importantly, audiences were able to become part of the artwork through their expression in experiencing the artistic process. These advances have led to greater accessibility in individuals’ artistic experiences. Moreover, the physical return to museums and galleries post-covid enhances digital interactive installations since audiences can experience this art live in a physical space, fostering a new sense of curiosity and community. The more frequent implementation of digital interactive installations in the technological age is just the beginning of its artistic evolution. The digital world of art is a hub of creativity and eager exploration, paving the way for a bright and innovative future for a fairly new form of art.

Positive Implications of Deepfake Technology in the Arts and Culture

Positive Implications of Deepfake Technology in the Arts and Culture

Deepfakes, one of the hottest topics to burst onto the technology scene in the last five years, have received a lot of negative publicity because of the risks they can present in the hands of bad actors. However, when used in good faith, they have many positive and exciting uses within the arts and culture sector. This report will briefly explain what deepfakes are and how they work, as well as some of their weaknesses and negative implications. Additionally, three case studies will examine the positive ways in which deepfakes can be used in artistic and cultural institutions.

Using Augmented Reality in Classical Music

Using Augmented Reality in Classical Music

How can the visual technology of augmented reality be used to enhance audience engagement with classical music and in the music industry as a whole? In the arts realm, AR has been used in both the classical music and popular music realms to cultivate audience engagement with visual components to the listening experience. This article provides an overview of AR as a technology and its usage in the music industry.

How VR and AR are Changing the World of Immersive Theater

How VR and AR are Changing the World of Immersive Theater

In the ever-changing and technologically advanced age that we are currently in, there are integrations of new technologies into our lives almost everyday, and the arts are no exception. The world of theater, especially that of immersive theater, has been experiencing a technological revolution of its own thanks to advancements in and the adoption of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). Contributor Amelia Stevens explores this in her research.

NFTs and Arts Management

NFTs and Arts Management

As the world seemed to erupt with NFTs in spring 2021, AMT Lab thought it would be an appropriate time to curate a collection of essays on the emerging, some might say exploding, world of NFTs with a focus on the arts and technology’s disruptions. The following article provides context to the arts marketplace, ownership, and the disruptions caused by blockchain technology, especially NFTs, and concludes with a short commentary on the forthcoming collection and an existential thought to send you along your way down the rabbit hole of NFTs and blockchain.

Crypto Art's Origins and Future

Crypto Art's Origins and Future

Our recent articles have examined NFTs’ recent rise and issues surrounding their environmental impact. This article looks more in depth at crypto art’s origins and the place it will hold in the future. Crypto art will continue to advance and evolve, so understanding its current impact will help those in the art world maximize its potential.

Fueling the Global Flame: A Look at the Long-Term Sustainability of NFTs

Fueling the Global Flame: A Look at the Long-Term Sustainability of NFTs

While NFTs took the arts market by storm in the beginning of 2021, with the environmental impact of blockchain technology coming to light, more artists and groups have not only been criticized but have also begun calling out the technology and not participating. Others are calling on more long-term changes, such as renewable resourcing for crypto-mining. How will NFTs fit in long-term in the art world, considering their impact on artists and the environment?

NFTs: A New Age of Digital Art

NFTs: A New Age of Digital Art

In recent months, NFTs have had a large presence on news feeds, especially in artists’ circles. NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, are “digital assets that [represent] real-world objects like art, music, in-game items and videos.” Because of this, they are challenging the traditional ways that people view, buy, and sell artwork. This research will look at how NFTs came to be and what artists and arts administrators should consider when utilizing this technology.

Mobile AR Avatar Chatbots: Exploring the Evolving AI and AR Combination

Mobile AR Avatar Chatbots: Exploring the Evolving AI and AR Combination

Cultural organizations consistently question how to connect the public to information in meaningful ways. As an emerging technology, mobile AR avatar chatbots combine AI and AR capabilities to create interactive and engaging tools for visitors. Examples of mobile AR avatar chatbots in cultural organizations can provide guidance for applying these evolving technologies.

How Haptics Affect Human-Robot Interaction in Dance

How Haptics Affect Human-Robot Interaction in Dance

Without advanced haptic technology, robots can only serve as dance partners if their every movement is preprogrammed. With the improvement of haptics, however, robots could become sensitive and responsive dance partners. Why is touch so important? This post investigates.

Net Art Part 2: Theories of Circulation and the Current Landscape

Net Art Part 2: Theories of Circulation and the Current Landscape

This is part two of a two-part series about the net art network. The first part covered its beginnings and ideological basis. This post will look at how net art has evolved and the present landscape, drawing on new media theories and current artists’ exhibitions. Once a place of utopian possibility, current net artists see the internet as a root cause of today’s social, political, and economic inequalities.

Guidelines for Using Aggregate Streaming Platforms for Performing Arts Content

Guidelines for Using Aggregate Streaming Platforms for Performing Arts Content

For arts organizations looking to reach audiences through online content, there are numerous approaches, including posting subscriber-only content to their websites and posting free videos on platforms like YouTube. In the broader entertainment landscape, streaming via services that aggregate content has become a popular way to watch film and television. This article examines the viability of sharing performing arts content on third-party streaming platforms that aggregate content as opposed to single-entity streaming channels.

Connections and Gaps between Artists’ and Institutions’ New Media Preservation Efforts

Connections and Gaps between Artists’ and Institutions’ New Media Preservation Efforts

Media art, which frequently involves data, software, or electronic devices, keeps facing the challenge of technological obsolescence. Since preservation and conservation are fields often dominated by museums and similar organizations, a contrast exists between personal and institutional practices. In some cases, artists rely on museums for technological support. This article looks at new media artists’ firsthand experiences and media artworks donated to the MoMA.

Video Streaming Trends for Performing Arts Organizations

Video Streaming Trends for Performing Arts Organizations

Performing arts organizations are facing unexpected pivots to sharing their content digitally in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Many of these organizations are confronting entirely unfamiliar methods of distribution, launching head-first into the vast world of streaming. To embrace the opportunities of such a shift, organizations must consider the benefits and risks of the various methods within the ever-evolving digital landscape.