Refik Anadol, known for mixing art and technology in his installations, has unveiled a new work created using an artificial intelligence model he created at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. was made
The installation shown in Davos is titled Living Archive: Nature (2024) and is the first installation of preliminary experimental results based on large nature models. His studio, with workers from 10 countries and speaking at least 15 languages, took less than a year to complete. This is his second time showcasing his work at a gathering of business executives and world leaders to discuss global issues. Last year, his work Artificial Realities: Coral used nearly 100 million coral images as raw data to raise awareness of climate change.
Anadol, 39, spoke to ArtNet News via Zoom on the sidelines of the ongoing Davos meeting of world leaders, giving a first look at a new installation he created using AI models and custom-built software. Uses the bullet to take control, uncovering a few surprises along the way.
A news release described the large language model—similar to that used by OpenAI’s ChatGPT and other platforms—as “the world’s first open-source generative AI model dedicated to nature,” despite models like AlphaFold. which can determine the conformation of a protein. Biological Biology and HyenaDNA, which is trained on the human genome. But Anadolu clarified via Zoom that its Big Nature model is the first dedicated to “literal, physically ecological nature.” He said his team could not yet find evidence of another model dedicated to nature and the environment.
Rafik Anadolu. Installation view Living Archive: Nature (2024). Photo courtesy of Refik Anadol Studio
The Large Nature Model was developed for DATALAND, a museum of the future for Refik Anadol Studio and a Web3 platform dedicated to data visualization and AI arts. Anadolu teased that the museum will announce its physical location in March.
The model was trained on data from National Geographic, the Smithsonian Institution, Cornell Lab, the Natural History Museum of London, and the Conservation Research Foundation Museum, as well as data collected by his team personally at locations around the world. including in the depths of the Amazon. Rainforest His studio used LiDAR, photogrammetry, and ambisonic audio and high-resolution visuals of various ecosystems to model.
“We’ve always combined science and technology,” Anadol said of his work with the institutions, “but now we’re working with scientists to literally create art.”
Rafik Anadolu. Installation view Living Archive: Nature (2024). Photo courtesy of Refik Anadol Studio
The visuals created by the model can range from jaw-dropping realism to breathtaking scenes that would make Hollywood jealous. In the talk, Anadol showed what it looks like if you cross the Amazon rainforest with a more temperate forest. He said that we learn from nature by experiencing.
He said his art studio has received an “incredibly positive response” from the science community and shared more details about the project’s progress and the open-source model being made available for free to the public. will do
“Even the best AI models still don’t fully understand nature. If you ask them how many species of birds we have, they don’t have the accuracy,” Anadol said. “We want to take research to a meaningful and purposeful level and make it truly safe, scientifically safe.”
The CornellLab dataset contained a quarter of a million bird songs from the Amazon, which inspired Anadol. I Living Archive: Nature, “We can hear them and communicate with them.” It displays real-time consumption data and can also receive real-time weather and environmental data from forests around the world, giving his studio complete control over the environment it creates. happens.
His team worked closely with Geneva-based perfume company Firmenich to create 12 different fragrances. The smell matches what is shown on the screen and is delivered to the nose of the viewer through a device worn around the neck. For example, one can smell the forest before and after it starts raining.
Rafik Anadolu. Installation view Living Archive: Nature (2024). Photo courtesy of Refik Anadol Studio
As a “final surprise”, Anadolu gave birth to an “AI character” named Fiona who can answer questions about nature. When asked if humans could use it to create new species, Fiona replied: “Humans are actually creating new species through selective breeding and genetic engineering, such as crops that are resistant to pests and diseases. But they must tread carefully to maintain the balance of the ecosystem.
Anadol added that they also feel a responsibility to not further harm the environment with their AI development. Such technologies are known to take a lot of computing power, consume an incredible amount of energy and parts. It requires the mining of precious metals. Hence, the artist said that his studio is also supported by Google and Nvidia.
“We don’t want to harm nature while modeling nature,” Anadol said. “We worked with Google engineers, so now we can see a lot of the impact on the environment when our model is running and training the AI ​​model.” Can only use renewable energy while giving. So, we can make it very sustainable, which is possible.”
Anadolu also proudly displayed NFTs in its collection “Winds of Yavanwa” (2023). A collection of 1,000 unique data paintings that “use weather data from tribal villages in the Amazon rainforest including wind speed, gusts, direction and temperature.” This data is then integrated with 13 works by young Yavanwa artists. He promoted the work as he said members of the Amazon tribe would join him at Davos, saying he was “now recognized as a world leader.”
“They gave me the name of a bird they call the Txanakene in the Amazon, which is known to mimic the sounds of other birds, and they found a connection between AI and nature,” Anadol said with members of the tribe. Said of his time in residence, who worked as a counselor. For this model.. “It’s a very special moment to hear that moment and be one of them.”
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