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Rhode Island School of Design’s Debates in AI was a groundbreaking symposium held April 11-12, 2024, that invited artists worldwide to address the multifaceted dimensions of artificial intelligence (AI) and its profound impact on creative disciplines.

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Molly Crabapple

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Lecture
What's Work Got to Do With It?

Molly Crabapple is an acclaimed artist and writer, drawing inspiration from historical figures like Toulouse Lautrec and Goya.  Her art resides in permanent collections at major institutions, demonstrating her significant impact on contemporary art and journalism.  More

Brian Merchant


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Lecture
What's Work Got to Do With It?

Brian Merchant, a technology journalist and former tech columnist at the LA Times, is widely recognized for his insightful analysis of automation, labor and technology’s environmental impact. He shares updates and discussions on technology’s societal impact through his newsletter, offering a critical perspective on who technology serves and its broader consequences.  More




Eric Telfort

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Lecture
What's Work Got to Do With It?

Eric Telfort is an associate professor and head of the Illustration department at RISD. In 2019, he received a Robert and Margaret MacColl Johnson Fellowship to explore creativity in poverty and pursue a personal, independent visual novel. More




What’s Work Got to Do With It?

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Panel Discussion
What's Work Got to Do With It?

Author Brian Merchant ("Blood in the Machine: The Origins of the Rebellion Against Big Tech") and artist/journalist Molly Crabapple ("Brothers of the Gun" and "Drawing Blood") in a conversation moderated by Eric Telfort (Department Head, RISD Illustration).

Trevor Paglen

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Lecture
AI + the Artist

Trevor Paglen is a multidisciplinary artist known for blending image-making, sculpture, journalism and engineering into his work. His art, which explores themes like state secrecy and artificial intelligence, has been exhibited globally, including at the Smithsonian Museum of American Art and the Barbican Centre. More

Elisa Giardina Papa

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Lecture
AI + the Artist

Elisa Giardina Papa’s research-driven art practice seeks forms of knowledge and desire that have been disqualified and rendered nonsensical by hegemonic demands for order and legibility. Giardina Papa is Assistant Professor of Modern Culture and Media at Brown University, she lives and works in New York and Sant Ignazio, Sicily.  More

Stephanie Dinkins 


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Lecture
AI + the Artist

Stephanie Dinkins is a transmedia artist focusing on race, gender, aging and future histories through AI and social collaboration, aiming for care-based, equitable technological ecosystems. Her journey reflects a deep commitment to intertwining human narratives with technology, promoting compassion and equity in digital futures.  More

AI + the Artist Panel

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Panel Discussion
AI + the Artist

Contemporary artists Trevor Paglen, Stephanie Dinkins, and Elisa Giardina Papa will each discuss how their work engages machine learning technology. A conversation moderated by Griffin Smith (Critic, RISD) and Q&A will follow.  More

Cory Doctorow

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Keynote Lecture
Cory Doctorow

Cory Doctorow is a prolific science fiction author, activist and journalist known for his critical views on Big Tech and surveillance. An advocate for digital rights, he works with the Electronic Frontier Foundation and holds positions as a visiting professor at Open University and UNC’s School of Library and Information Science.  More

Cory Doctorow + Ben Davis 

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Keynote Panel
Keynote Address

Cory Doctorow ("Chokepoint Capitalism") keynote, followed by a conversation and Q&A moderated by Artnet News National Art Critic and author Ben Davis.

Christiane Paul

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Lecture
Poetics of Computation

Christiane Paul is an acclaimed writer and curator specializing in new media arts, honored with the Thoma Foundation’s 2016 Arts Writing Award in Digital Art. Paul’s curatorial projects extend internationally, with notable exhibitions such as Programmed at the Whitney and The Public Private" at The New School.  More

Taeyoon Choi


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Lecture
Poetics of Computation

Taeyoon Choi is an interdisciplinary artist who intertwines science, technology and human interaction through programming, drawing and writing. His projects promote a more inclusive and caring digital world, underpinned by his roles in prestigious residencies and educational initiatives.  More

Dorothy R. Santos

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Lecture
Poetics of Computation

Dorothy R. Santos (she/they) is a multidisciplinary Filipino-American storyteller, poet, artist and scholar with a PhD in film and digital media from UC Santa Cruz. Their work spans voice recognition, assistive tech and feminist media histories, among other areas.  More

Poetics of Computation Panel

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Panel Discussion
Poetics of Computation

Christiane Paul (curator of digital art, Whitney Museum of American Art), Taeyoon Choi (co-founder of the School for Poetic Computation), and Dorothy R. Santos (writer, artist, educator) present and discuss the poetics of computation and computational literacy. Clement Valla (RISD professor and Computation, Technology, and Culture coordinator) will moderate the conversation.

Kate Crawford + Ben Davis


Lecture + Discussion
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Kate Crawford discusses the material impact of A.I. on humans and the planet. Her presentation is followed by a conversation with critic Ben Davis.


© Rhode Island School of Design

Debates in AI