I see it, so you don’t have to (2023)
The success of the tech industry rests on artificial intelligence (AI), often praised as “super intelligent”. Yet, behind the scenes, thousands of low paid micro-workers worldwide labour to assemble data and moderate content that feeds AI algorithms. Hidden behind screens and algorithmic processes, content moderators suffer from mental health issues stemming from exposure to distressing content and repetitive tasks aimed at machine optimization.
The artwork explores how AI work echoes labour dynamics of the 1st industrial revolution, where textile workers endured harsh conditions to ensure Jacquard weaving machines kept on spinning. Governments intervened then to safeguard workers’ rights. Today, how can we prioritize the mental health of the humans behind the machines?
A 2×3 meter cotton and viscose wall hanging, created using machine learning and woven on a Jacquard loom.
The artist has worked closely with content moderators who shared their lived experiences of work-related mental health issues. Point the tablet towards the wall-hanging to decode the binary code, revealing reflections shared by the content moderators.
Link to website:
https://www.artificialmind.ai/projects/%22i-see-it%2C-so-you-don’t-have-to%22
Media:
A 2×3 meter cotton and viscose wall hanging, created using machine learning and woven on a Jacquard loom.
The artwork was developed when artist Cecilie Waagner Falkenstrøm was international artist-in-residence at the Wellcome Collection as part of Wellcome Trust’s Mindscapes program.
The artwork was developed by Cecilie’s art tech studio ARTificial Mind: Artist Cecilie Waagner Falkenstrøm, Assistant Artist Cody Lukas, Software Engineer Jens Hegner Strærmose, Software Engineer Alexander Krog, Software Engineer Asbjørn Olling.
Thank you to the digital curatorial team and textile team at the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) for their contribution in developing the work. Thanks to Danish Arts Foundation for supporting the work.
Thanks to the content moderators who shared their lived experiences. And a special thanks to former content moderator Selena Scola for her collaborative contribution.