Sciencemeetsstreetart

University of Queensland researchers have been exploring their artistic side as part of a new street art collaboration showcasing artificial intelligence (AI).

The Visualising AI – Science Meets Street Art Co-Lab is a globally unique urban art initiative that paired Queensland AI experts with up-and-coming street artists, culminating in compelling new works across Brisbane as part of the Brisbane Street Art Festival (BSAF) this past May.

The co-lab is driven by Queensland AI Hub in partnership with Vast Yonder, with generous support of The University of Queensland.

Professor Scott Chapman, a collaborating scientist from UQ’s School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, said the project aims to help people understand how transformative technology can expand human potential, for the good of both people and the planet.

“In my work as crop physiologist, I use AI to help ‘see better’, whether that’s through remote sensing from satellites or a hyperspectral camera on a souped-up tractor or drone, or some other technology,” Professor Chapman said.

“AI helps me extract information and simplify it down to a model, meaning I can better understand it and use the model predict how a new wheat variety might work under climate change, for example.

“In this collaboration, I was lucky enough to work with artist Madeline Holt, and together we developed abstractions of ‘views of real data’ and represented these concepts in a stunning piece located at the RNA’s Brisbane Showgrounds.

“Madeline did a brilliant job at communicating how our views on data highlight the true complexity of living productive landscapes.”

Professor Scott Chapman taking imagery in wheat trials

Dr Sally Shrapnel and Damien Kamholtz developing their Visualising AI collaboration

Physicist and interdisciplinary scientist Dr Sally Shrapnel, from UQ’s School of Mathematics and Physics, collaborated with artist Damien Kamholtz.

“Ancient and modern-day AI narratives, from The Iliad to Frankenstein or The Terminator, serve as a reminder that for AI to provide the greatest benefit to all of humanity, the technology must be developed in a fair and inclusive way that respects the rich diversity and values of all life on Earth,” Dr Shrapnel said.

“The moral of all these stories, fictional or not, is that humans aren’t perfect and if the AI we create is going to be a reflection of ourselves, able to positively augment human potential, we don’t want it to be a Frankenstein-like reflection.

“We want it to be the best version of ourselves, and to achieve that, we need to bring all people into the AI loop.

“Our best chance for doing good is broad engagement – and that’s where art is essential.

“Everybody can engage on some level – you don’t have to understand the mathematical formulae to contribute to the debate.”

UQ School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering’s Professor Janet Wiles also collaborated with artistic duo Scott Nagy & Krimsone, creating another incredible work located at Westfield Garden City.

Further information about the project, its collaborators and where you can discovery the artworks around Brisbane, please visit the Visualising AI website.

Media: Dominic Jarvis, dominic.jarivs@uq.edu.au, +61 413 334 924.