The Balance of Power Book –
I decided to produce another augmented reality book to accompany my ‘Balance of Power – Unity in Bits’ mobile. The mobile has multiple layers of meaning. However, unless the viewer is aware of this, then so many of the messages being conveyed by the structure may sadly be lost. Therefore, I thought it was important to produce an accompanying art book. This will help to unpack some of the mystery as to why the mobile came into being.
I think that because I’m really not feeling well at the moment (awful food poisoning) I’m finding it so much harder to be creative. I’m frightened that I’m going to fall at the last hurdle. I’ve never ever felt so devoid of creativity in my life. I’m finding that even basic decisions like choosing images to go into my book really challenging at the moment. I really was a struggle when I had to decide on cover designs. This was not easy.
Screenshots of the Book
Below are a few screenshots of the book. I decided to design a book so that anyone viewing the mobile could understand some of the rationale behind it. I would really like a gallery to take my mobile and I thought that a book might be a good accompaniment for it. When I placed my order for the book I also bought the PDF of it, so that I can easily mail out an electronic copy if required. Looking back over the design process of the book, I don’t know how I muddled through it. Decisions that would have once been easy for me to make now seemed like an uphill battle. I feel sure the food poisoning is playing a role in this.
Delivery
It’s probably going to be around two weeks from now until delivery of the book, so I have hit a ‘bit of a plateaux’. However, I’m going to take some timeout to reflect on my film. I want to produce a couple of larger wall hanging pieces to accompany the mobile and I also want to start work on the augmented reality for the mobile.
The Balance of Power – Unity in Bits Mobile – The Book
Below is a link to a PDF of the book. I am hoping that eventually (if things go to plan) each page of this book will have an augmented reality video linked to it.
BALANCE OF POWER FINAL VERSION
Adobe Acrobat’s AI Assistant
While trying to grab a screenshot of the cover of the book I opened it up in Adobe Acrobat. Just like Zoom Adobe now have an AI assistant that will summarise a PDF document in Acrobat. I found the summary from our Zoom session last week fascinating, so I thought that I would give a try. I was pleasantly surprised as it actually managed to précis my work very well!
Here’s what it said:
“The document is about questioning whether technology’s rise and AI can either fracture or unite society, with a focus on the power and potential unity found within computer code.”
Unfortunately it was quite perturbed by some of my drawings which it interpreted as charts but it graciously explained that it was still learning. It also suggested that I should ask a number of questions about the document and these plus its answers included:
- What does the artwork Unity in Bits represent? – The responses was interesting in so far that it got the answer wrong! Its response suggested that the art industry should look for the human stories behind the pixels and not the IT industry as mentioned in the book. Here is what it said:
“The artwork ‘Unity in Bits’ represents the idea that our unity as a society is currently fractured, but there is potential for unity to be found within the digital realm through AI algorithms and computer code. It serves as a call to the art industry to acknowledge the human stories behind the pixels and to recognize the impact of technology on artistic creations.”
- What is the message behind the artwork? – Again the bot mixed up the message by suggesting that the art industry are responsible for obtaining artistic consent. Here is how it answered the question:
“The message behind the artwork ‘Unity in Bits’ is that technology, specifically AI algorithms and computer code, has the potential to mend societal rifts and bring unity. It highlights the delicate balance of power that exists in the digital realm and calls for the art industry to recognize and acknowledge the human stories behind the pixels, emphasizing the importance of consent and the impact of technology on artistic creations. The artwork provokes contemplation on whether our unity can be found within the bits and bytes of computer code and challenges us to consider the role of technology in shaping our society.”
- What does the artwork symbolise and represent? – Yet again it blamed the art industry. I’m not sure how it got the message so mixed up. Here’s how it answered the question:
“The artwork ‘Unity in Bits’ symbolises the potential for unity and connection through technology. The use of binary code in the artwork, spelling out the phrase ‘Unity in Bits’, represents the digital realm and the power of computer code to bring people together. The fractured mobile elements suggest a society in disarray, highlighting the current state of unity being in bits and pieces. However, the artwork also poses the question of whether unity can be found within the bits and bytes of computer code, suggesting that technology, specifically AI algorithms, has the potential to mend societal rifts and bring about unity. Additionally, the artwork represents a tribute to the silent voices of artists whose creations have been used in algorithms without their consent, calling for the art industry to recognize and acknowledge the human stories behind digital art. Overall, the artwork symbolizes the delicate balance of power in the digital realm and prompts contemplation on the role of technology in shaping our society and fostering unity.”
My verdict is that this is quite worrying and I certainly wouldn’t reply on one of these systems just yet for summarising documents. However, it was an interesting exercise if nothing else.
I am sooooo tired and I go back to work this week too.