Current — AMT Lab @ CMU

Museum Computer Network 2023 Conference Takeaways

Museum Computer Network 2023 Conference Takeaways

Staff Researcher, Venetia Liao, attended the 2023 Museum Computer Network Conference (MCN), and wrote about her four key takeaways: (1) Audience Engagement & Visitor Experience In Apps, Websites, Research, and Design, (2) AI, VR/XR/AR Usage & Concerns, (3) Data & Database Management For Collections Management & Marketing Strategy, and (4) Cybersecurity.

U.S. Copyright Office Ruling and Implications on A.I.

U.S. Copyright Office Ruling and Implications on A.I.

Generative AI in an art context raises a multitude of legal questions, one of the more important ones being, who owns the art? Is it the AI-tech company? The person who inputs the prompts? Some mysterious third party? More specifically, with the U.S. Copyright Office declaring that AI cannot be credited as an author on a piece of art, how does this change the legal landscape for the AI-curious and artists who already use AI as part of their creative process?

How President Biden's Executive Order Might Affect Artists and Arts Organizations

How President Biden's Executive Order Might Affect Artists and Arts Organizations

On Monday, the headlines were ablaze with President Biden’s executive order addressing safe, secure, and trustworthy Artificial Intelligence. At 111 pages, the order offers a breadth of policy frameworks and standards creation that affect government operations and industry reporting. However, several areas of note have a direct potential impact on the work of artists and arts organizations: Watermarks of content authenticity, Copyright, and Labor.

October's News: Regulation, Disinformation, and Leveraging the Metaverse

October's News: Regulation, Disinformation, and Leveraging the Metaverse

October offers some seizmic change in the technology regulation space concerning an executive A.I. order, ‘deepfake’ mimicking, and the use of A.I. and the metaverse to enact positive change.

Exploring the Feasibility of AI Music Therapy

Exploring the Feasibility of AI Music Therapy

Patients can now enjoy music therapy through smartphones or computers, breaking geographical barriers. Music therapists have become more professional, with mandatory qualifications and standardized practices. These developments have paved the way for the emergence and growth of AI music therapy.

AR Public Art & Climate Intervention

AR Public Art & Climate Intervention

AR artwork is moving away from dependence on commercial or scientific success and artists have more freedom to create place-based artworks without necessarily having permission or costly materials. As a result, artists are stepping into the AR public art space to tell stories, respond to inequity, and shift behavior for positive social impact.

A Case for Incorporating Sign Language Recognition Technologies into Theatre Performance

A Case for Incorporating Sign Language Recognition Technologies into Theatre Performance

While researchers are working to develop sign language recognition technologies, there are no commercially available sign language recognition technologies (yet). As performing arts seeks to become a more inclusive and diverse space, one area that we can work to be more inclusive is with our language, by making our spaces accessible to those who speak many languages, even non-spoken ones.

Engaging the Next Generation Audience for the Legacy Music Artist: Les Paul Case Study

Engaging the Next Generation Audience for the Legacy Music Artist: Les Paul Case Study

The following research was designed to gain  an understanding of  the legacy artist to further develop the Les Paul brand and increase recognition surrounding his  name. The research team examined strategies for re-introducing Paul in an over-saturated media climate  to younger generations through both quantitative and qualitative analysis.

Strategies in the Streaming Industry: Bally Sports as Case Study

Strategies in the Streaming Industry: Bally Sports as Case Study

This case study for Bally Sports shows that sports fans’ top priority for streaming is accessible, reliable, and interesting content. As a result of these findings, the recommendations to maintain longevity in the streaming industry focus on the importance of brand awareness, user experience, representative content, and potential partnership integrations.

September’s News: AI’s Next Moves as Social Media Platforms Reposition

September’s News: AI’s Next Moves as Social Media Platforms Reposition

September news reveals a quickly maturing AI marketplace while there seems to be a new era in the social media space as companies emerge and adapt in the post-Twitter age. Read on to catch up on all the news you might have missed. 


Prototyping Case Study: A Sprint Journey to a Website for Sharing Resources

Prototyping Case Study: A Sprint Journey to a Website for Sharing Resources

Prototyping is an essential part of beta-testing any digital tool. The following processed involved a period of stakeholder interviews that informed an Agile-based sprint process for prototyping an interactive resource-sharing website. This process was fast and effective to get multi-user feedback and a final prototype in an overall 8 weeks with a final 2 week-long sprints.

Climate Change: How Museums and Artists Are Changing The Narrative

Climate Change: How Museums and Artists Are Changing The Narrative

Art serves various purposes, ranging from aesthetics, to therapeutic uses, to avenues for making powerful statements – including meaningful contributions to the conversation on climate change and climate advocacy. Here’s how some museums around the world are partnering with artists to use their voice surrounding climate advocacy through installations of art and technology.

To Stream or Not To Stream: Is that the right question anymore?

To Stream or Not To Stream: Is that the right question anymore?

The current status of digital programming and investment varies widely across the arts and cultural sector. Some organizations have abandoned the streaming technology they experimented with, while others continue to incorporate digital programs and performances into their offerings.  The following research reveals U.S. streaming trends and audience behaviors.

Letter from the Editor

Letter from the Editor

Hello to all of our arts, management, and technology enthusiasts from the 2023-2024 Chief Editor, Samantha Sonnet. This year’s content will be full of everything from A.I. and blockchain to the intersection of technology and climate/social justice and more! Get your reading glasses ready, and settle in for another great year.

Using Venmo for Non-Profit Fundraising

Using Venmo for Non-Profit Fundraising

Fundraising is the lifeblood of any non-profit organization. Not only is it the primary way to raise money for your organization’s cause, but it also keeps your organization running day-to-day to work on sustaining its mission. Your nonprofit should always be looking for new donation tools as part of your digital strategy. Non-profit fundraising has been made easier than ever before with the creation of technology and apps, such as Venmo

In The News: Summer 2023 & Upcoming Summer Break

In The News: Summer 2023 & Upcoming Summer Break

This summer has been full of new developments and controversies from social media and big tech to the blockchain and the growing A.I realm. We’re going to take a look at what has occurred this summer, and then take a break for a few weeks. AMT Lab will resume publishing after Labor Day, but until then… happy reading!

9 Ways Blockchain is Changing the Film Industry

9 Ways Blockchain is Changing the Film Industry

Blockchain is being embraced by many in the entertainment industry. It is known for enabling content creators to cut out the middle man, reduce copyright infringements, enhance royalty payments, and more. This article dives into 9 ways blockchain is changing the film industry.

TikTok: Opportunity and Risk

TikTok: Opportunity and Risk

The latest controversies surrounding TikTok are no secret: Biased algorithms, censored content, & intensive personal data collection to name a few. But how exactly are these controversies posing risks for users, and why should those involved in the arts industry care? Buckle in (especially YOU, arts marketers) because this may potentially change the future of social media and marketing moving forward.

TikTok Testimonies

TikTok Testimonies

The writing in this article is mainly based on opinion as I interpret the coverage of the testimony. The following commentary on the testimonies with links to the testimonies and relevant coverage. There are many, often heated, opinions on this topic and the hearing. Rather than simply explaining the facts of what occurred, for many people already know what occurred and I found it more beneficial to express my opinions on the case.

AI and Virtual Production: The Past Meets the Future

AI and Virtual Production:  The Past Meets the Future

Technology has played a critical role in the film industry since its inception. Advances in the film industry are always closely related to technological advances in society, integrating them quickly into the filmmaking process. Almost every aspect of filmmaking, from pre-production to post-production, from digital cameras, editing software, sound and music, distribution, exhibition, and of course, special effects, has undergone major changes and has evolved over the last 190 years. 

Contemporary, traditional film production involves building physical sets, scouting locations, and coordinating large crews and equipment, all of which can be time-consuming and expensive. To overcome some of these "problems" or “needs” was born what we know today as Virtual Production. Virtual production has and will be further enhanced by the opportunities afforded by artificial intelligence.