LOTJE AND AGE-FI
Q1: What did you find interesting in AGE-FI that made you decide to become part of the team?
When approached by researchers Francesca Toso, Jodi Sturge, Janna Van Grunsven, Marco Rozendaal, Maarten Houben, and Rens Brankaert to transform four speculative scenarios into short films, I was immediately enthusiastic. At the time, I was already working on a speculative film using AI, exploring the role of food in a virtual future. The film techniques I had developed for that project seemed perfectly suited for addressing the topic of how technology can assist in prolonging independence during old age. This is a vital subject, particularly given our aging society and the growing shortage of caregivers. I have a personal connection to this matter as well. My mother has Alzheimer's, and I often serve as her external memory. I frequently ponder whether a device could provide her with assistance if I weren't present. What practical challenges would arise if a computer or a robot were to assume caregiving responsibilities? And, more importantly, would my mother be comfortable using such a device?
Q2: Which techniques did you use for making the videos for AGE-FI?
AI played a significant role in the creation of these videos. I conceived the stories myself, but ChatGPT aided in their translation into English. The voice featured in the voiceover was generated by AI. All of the characters, with the exception of the woman in the foreground (my mother, whose perspective you share), are not real individuals but rather AI-generated entities. The interior settings were also created with the assistance of AI. I employed a 3D animation program to incorporate the robots and moving monitors. The imagery and voices produced with the assistance of AI possess an intriguing, somewhat eerie quality. Will our future, as we increasingly integrate robots and AI into our daily lives, continue to be characterized by this uncanny quality, or will we eventually become accustomed to it?
Q3: What will you take with you from this experience?
I thoroughly enjoyed working on these films. I was granted a great deal of creative freedom in developing the scenarios and bringing them to life visually. The pace of AI and other technological advancements is currently quite rapid, yet we still lack a comprehensive understanding of their potential impacts on our future daily lives. It is crucial to contemplate these issues and engage in discussions about them. The act of crafting narratives, whether through speculative fiction or science fiction, can be instrumental in facilitating such contemplation.