Xingdu Wang

  Glitch as Cognition: Rethinking AI’s Uncertainty as a Creative Force Current artificial intelligence systems lack self-awareness and subjective agency, relying solely on probabilistic modeling and data-driven generative processes to produce outputs. However, I have been contemplating whether AI can exhibit a form of pseudo-subjectivity or whether it can help us transcend traditional cognitive boundaries. The mainstream perspective suggests that AI merely maps statistical correlations, but through my research on diffusion models (DMs) and generative adversarial networks (GANs) in image inpainting, I have found that the phenomenon of "glitch" may offer an entirely new perspective on AI’s cognitive potential. Building on Simondon’s discussion in Imagination and Invention, I argue that current generative models lack an understanding of uncertainty. Referring to Yuk Hui’s further elaboration in Recursivity and Contingency, I believe that existing AI generative models neither have a demand for handling contingency nor the ability to incorporate contingency into their own identity. Therefore, my objective is to continuously introduce contingency into AI’s generative process and explore how it can maintain structural stability under the intervention of uncertainty. The concept of "glitch" itself is difficult to define. From a technical perspective, glitches typically refer to unexpected errors or anomalies that occur in technological systems, electronic devices, or software during operation. However, from the perspectives of information theory and artistic creation, glitches can reveal underlying structures within a system’s operational process and even serve as sources of creativity. For example, in a documentary about the 20th-century calligrapher Inoue Yuichi, I observed that the pixelation artifacts caused by low-resolution video did not obscure his artistic expression; instead, they unexpectedly highlighted the timeless essence of his brushwork. This accidental visual distortion led me to consider whether the uncertainty present in AI’s generative processes could serve a similar function, becoming a catalyst for creative exploration. This line of thought extends to my work, which draws partial inspiration from the 1995 art project Adding One Meter to an Anonymous Mountain. In this piece, a group of artists stacked their nude bodies atop a mountain in the suburbs of Beijing, collectively shaping a temporary "summit." Each artist interpreted the work through a different conceptual lens and individually claimed "sovereignty" over it. Within this convergence of multiple consciousnesses, a new and unique scene emerged. In my creative practice, I utilize AI-based image outpainting to explore glitches such as pixelation and mosaic distortions found in the documentary. Rather than merely restoring the missing parts, I employ "glitch" as a guiding keyword for AI's expansion, allowing it to extend the original footage beyond its intended frame under the influence of uncertainty. This approach transforms glitches from mere data loss into creative triggers, introducing AI-generated uncertainty as a structural force in new visual narratives. By leveraging implicit completion mechanisms, my work redefines AI-generated "glitches"—not as errors, but as moments of creative potential—ultimately exploring a new form of storytelling that emerges through AI-driven expansion. Xingdu Wang
Personal Profile I'm a graphic designer & visual artist focusing on visual, installation, and digital art. I offer branding, poster and motion design, as well as creative and art direction.