Department of DIGITAL ARTS / Ruth Schnell “The Unexpected” is an artistic
research project exploring the impact of Artificial Intelligences (AI) interfaces and digital assistants on users’ daily life
through theoretical research and practice-based field analysis. The constant growth of AI softwares and virtual assistants
employed to enhance wellbeing and overcome mental health issues is creating new dimensions of social and ethical questions
about human emotional responses to artificial intelligence.
While Microsoft is studying the implementation of AI companions with an emotional connection
to satisfy the human need for communication and affection, chatbots and digital avatars are designed in order to support users
in overcoming anxiety, loneliness and other stress-related situations. But what are the emotional responses to such interactions?
Do we still perceive the AIs as “others” or do we empathise with them as they would with humans? Using an interdisciplinary
approach the research will analyze the practical impact of human interactions with digital assistants through the development
of a written essay and extensive audio-visual documentation edited in the form of an experimental film.
Pamela
Breda is an artist and filmmaker living between Milan and Wien. She was recipient of several art awards and fellowships,
including Italian Council Award (MibaC, IT), Kingston University Phd Scholarship (Kingston, UK), Moving’Up funding scheme
(Turn, IT), Italian Institute of Culture (Moscow, RU). Her films have been screened internationally and presented at festivals
and art venues such as: Sheffield docFest (UK), “ECRA Film Festival” (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), “Revolutions Per Minute Festival”
(Boston, USA), “Digital Film Library”, Clermont- Ferrand Film Festival (Clermont-Ferrand, F), Cite Internatinale Des Arts,
(Paris, F), “Vision Du Reel” Film Festival, Media Library (Nyon, CH), “Hazel Eye Film Festival” (Tennesse, USA), “The Bomb
Art Factory Film Festival” (London, UK), Sohonya Art Center (Bangalore, I), Francesco Fabbri Foundation for Contemporary Art
(Pieve di Soligo, IT), Bevilacqua La Masa Foundation (Venice, IT).
