Creatives Leading the Future: Harnessing Art to Build Ethical and Sustainable Tech
Veronika Liebl is currently Director of European Cooperation at Ars Electronica. She studied economic and business science at Johannes Kepler University in Linz (graduated in 2010) with study visits at the Harvard University (US) and Université de Fribourg (CH) and has an interdisciplinary background in non-profit and innovation management. She serves as a member for the Linz’ city culture council.
She is working for 10 years for Ars Electronica and is mainly engaged in programming and producing collaborative programs with partners from arts, science and industry and facilitates, in this framework, programs for artistic productions and knowledge incubation. She leads Ars Electronica’s European collaboration projects in the field of culture, research & education and developed, launched & executed in this position – together with her team – numerous EU projects such as the STARTS Prize or the European ARTificial Intelligence Lab.
Your background includes non-profit and innovation management. How has this influenced your approach to fostering collaborations between arts, science, and industry at Ars Electronica?
Triáda medzi umením, vedou a priemyslom je základom našej misie Ars Electronica, ktorej cieľom je preklenúť priepasť medzi kreativitou a technologickými inováciami. Využívaním silných stránok každého sektora vytvárame živnú pôdu pre prelomové projekty, ktoré nielen posúvajú hranice možného, ale slúžia aj ako katalyzátor spoločenského a kultúrneho vývoja. Moje vzdelanie v oblasti neziskového a inovačného manažmentu bolo mimoriadne dôležité na prehĺbenie pochopenia rôznych rámcových realít, očakávaní a jazykov, ktoré používajú jednotlivé disciplíny. To samozrejme podporuje cielenejšiu spoluprácu a umožňuje lepšie prepájať jednotlivé sektory, ale tiež sa tak často ukazuje, že všetci máme podobné poslanie a pracujeme na rovnakých cieľoch – len rôznymi prostriedkami a spôsobmi. A práve v tom spočíva sila: spojenie týchto rôznych spôsobov umožňuje komplexnejšie, holistickejšie a spoločnosti odolnejšie prístupy!
The triad between arts, science and industry is the cornerstone of our Ars Electronica mission to bridge the gap between creativity and technological innovation. By leveraging the strengths of each sector, we create a fertile ground for groundbreaking projects that not only push the boundaries of what’s possible but also serve as a catalyst for societal and cultural evolution. My background in non-profit and innovation management was paramount to deepen the understanding of different framework realities, expectations and languages used by the different disciplines. This supports of course more targeted collaborations and allows to bridge the sectors better, but it also shows so often that we all share similar missions and work on same objectives – just through different means and in different ways. And precisely here lies the power: bringing these different ways together allows for more complex, holistic and society-proof approaches!
Ars Electronica has been analyzing and commenting on the Digital Revolution since 1979. How has your approach to understanding and engaging with the Digital Transformation evolved over the years?
Since 1979, Ars Electronica’s engagement with the Digital Revolution has been dynamic and reflective of the evolving digital landscape. Our approach has matured from observation and commentary to active participation and shaping of the digital narrative. Of course, we continuously adapt to the rapid technological advancements, but also the requirements to Ars Electronica drastically changed in those 45 years. At the beginning we had in particular in the region the role of making cutting-edge technologies accessible to a wider audiences. Many people came to Ars Electronica to test first immersive technologies, or understand how interactive systems work. As a kid my parents gave me a season ticket to Ars Electronica for internet access. Due to the technological progress and the omnipresence of digital tools in our lives, Ars Electronica shifted much more to a cultural compass helping audiences as well as companies understand what the consequences of the digital transformation brings for us humans and the society at large – positive and negative. When you visit the Ars Electronica Center today, you will find for example in our Understanding AI Exhibition a comprehensive overview of the far-reaching impacts of AI on our lives.
You at Ars Electronica speculate about the future manifestations of digital society. What does ‘digital humanism’ mean to you, and how do you incorporate this concept into the projects at Ars Electronica? What are some of the most intriguing or concerning future scenarios you have explored?
At Ars Electronica, ‘digital humanism’ is more than a concept; it’s a guiding principle that informs all our endeavors. It represents our commitment to ensuring that the digital society we’re building is one where technology serves humanity, not the other way around. Our projects are designed to reflect this ethos, exploring the potential of technology to enhance human capabilities while remaining vigilant of the ethical dilemmas it presents. We’ve delved into scenarios ranging from the integration of AI in everyday life to the potential consequences of digital surveillance, always with an eye towards preserving human agency and dignity. In 2021, we started with the Austrian Ministry for European and International Affairs a joint Ars Electronica Award for Digital Humanity to highlight the incomparable competence of digital artists to demonstrate both potentials and pitfalls of technologies and act across cultures & nations, just like in diplomacy. Both are vital aspects of humanism. Last year’s prize winner Masakhane is a pioneering institution strengthening and spuring NLP research in African languages. Technological developments – particularly data driven ones such as AI – need to be pushed towards more diversity to ensure digital representation and the reduction of biases.
How do you see the role of fundamental values such as human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law, and human rights evolving in the context of digital society?
Undoubtedly, the digital society brings both new challenges and opportunities for fundamental values such as human dignity and rights. At Ars Electronica, we believe that these values must not only be protected but also reimagined in the context of digital advancements. We advocate for a digital environment where these values are not only respected but also enhanced, ensuring that technology contributes to a more just and equitable society. This can only be done by wide participation and digital literacy. Only those who understand the principles and workings of digital technologies, will be able to act on it. So, at Ars Electronica we follow since years a massive educational programs around this topic – through workshops in the Ars Electronica Center, tours to schools, or even our dedicated Future Thinking School for companies and teams.
We have even started a large-scale educational program for all Austrian primary schools. Led by the Kaiserschild Stiftung, a charitable private foundation, Ars Electronica also brings educational offers from the Ars Electronica Center to primary school children in rural areas of Austria through hands-on learning experience on STE(A)M topics – science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics. The idea of developing a mobile learning and dissemination concept for primary schools resulted in missimo: Deine Mission Morgen (Your mission tomorrow): a project for children aged eight to ten that offers many experiments on topics such as AI, robotics and programming and visits schools throughout Austria by truck. Developed by the Ars Electronica Futurelab’s, the missimo experience starts with a teacher training session, where educators engage with and learn how to teach the contents of the program to their students. As soon as the teachers are trained, the missimo truck can visit the primary school to introduce the children to the subjects through a playful approach. Six main installations that provide different learning experiences and narratives reside inside the truck. At the center is a microcontroller – a so-called micro:bit – with which the children are equipped at the beginning of their stay. Inside each micro:bit “lives” an avatar that can be personalized and accompanies the students from station to station. Finally, a workshop kit is distributed to the school classes. This kit contains components that enable experiments and trials to be carried out in class. missimo will be operated by the Kaiserschild Foundation for several years, supported by the Ars Electronica Center – to bring the fun of learning and low-threshold access to technology even closer to elementary school students across Austria.
Ars Electronica emphasizes artistic research in understanding digital transformation. Can you explain how artistic perspectives contribute uniquely to this field?
Artistic research offers a distinct lens through which to view digital transformation, one that is inherently human-centric and deeply introspective. At Ars Electronica, we harness this perspective to question the status quo and envision alternative futures where technology amplifies human creativity and expression. Our commitment to artistic research ensures that our projects are not just technologically sound but also culturally and ethically resonant.
Now more than ever before, we rely on the creative and disruptive potential of artists and creative professionals to guide us towards humane, sustainable, and ethical technologies. With artists operating at the vanguard of exploring frontier technologies like artificial intelligence, biotechnology, or quantum computing, they have the potential to act as veritable innovation catalyst in fields such as robotics, the manufacturing industry or product design. They are expertly taking on various roles in bridging arts, technology and our society: from disseminators to speculators, from inventors to hackers, from connectors to a compass.
What do you see as the main benefits of fostering cross-sector collaboration between the creative industries and other sectors like technology and business?
The benefits of cross-sector collaboration are manifold, particularly when it involves the creative industries. Such collaborations bring together diverse perspectives, fostering an environment where innovation can thrive. The cultural and creative industries and sectors contribute a unique blend of creativity, critical thinking, and cultural awareness, enriching the technological and business landscapes with out-of-the box ideas and approaches that prioritize human experience.
Today, it is impossible to imagine the development of innovative processes without the cultural and creative industries. It is abundantly clear that economically driven innovation alone is not sufficient, and that innovation today must also do justice to ecological and social requirements. Here one initiative in particular is noteworthy: S+T+ARTS stands for science, technology and arts is the European lighthouse initiative to bring out new forms of art driven innovation. Since 2016 this remarkable initiative funded 189 residencies with 6 Mio € and honoured 268 STARTS Prize projects. The prize competition, organized by Ars Electronica, received 15,928 submissions from 101 different nations between 2016 and 2023. For the first time, we run with STARTS Prize Africa an additional STARTS Prize with a specific continental focus and dedicated to innovation coming from Africa.
We are witnessing the transition from automation to autonomy with Machine Learning and AI. What ethical considerations are most important when guiding the development of these technologies?
The ethical landscape of AI and autonomy is complex and multifaceted. At Ars Electronica, we prioritize ethical considerations that encompass respect for individual autonomy, the prevention of bias and discrimination, and the promotion of transparency and accountability. We believe that these principles are essential for ensuring that AI technologies are developed and deployed in ways that are beneficial to all segments of society. The European Union made an essential step with the AI Act.
What role do you see technology playing in the future of the arts, and how can it enhance creative practices?
Technology’s role in the future of the arts is one of empowerment and expansion. At Ars Electronica, we envision a future where technology augments the creative process, enabling artists to explore new realms of expression and interaction. Our focus is on harnessing technology in ways that respect artistic integrity and foster a deeper connection between the arts and society. Of course, we will always want to showcase artistic exploration with new technologies and how emerging tech can be used for artistic expression. Just in the last 6 months alone we have seen an unparalleled development in the use of generative AI and we are just at the very beginning of this. We have honored this development with our “AI in Art Award”. The Golden Nica of this newly created category went to Paul Trillo for the project Washed Out “The Hardest Part”. This is the first official commissioned music video collaboration between a music artist and filmmaker made with OpenAI’s Sora video model. In total, the artist generated nearly 700 clips and cut them down to about 55 for the final edit. The prompts become nearly craftmanship and are extensive.
The intention of Ars Electronica here is not so much to show works of excellence only, but to mark turning points and highlight the important role that artists play in this process. These are turning points where not only new technological developments become visible, but also new questions arise about the role of art and artists, questions that are highly relevant to society as a whole. We also want to make questions on framework conditions of these developments visible – such as IP, value and economic models for artists working with generative AI. With awarding such projects, Ars Electronica want to bring this discourse to a world-renowned platform and thus also raise awareness on the most essential practices and challenges of artistic creation.
But aside from these developments, the most important aspect is that continue to work on reflecting on the impact of technologies; topics of reducing bias in AI, trying to raise awareness about misinformation or deploy AI for good such as human rights, empowerment and environmental good.
Looking ahead, what are the key goals for Ars Electronica in fostering a culture of innovation and creativity across Europe and beyond?
Ha! I would suggest that you come and explore yourself at the upcoming Ars Electronica Festival from September 3th to 7th in Linz!