Research Paper Analysis
in(A)n(I)mate - AI-Mediated Conversations with Inanimate Objects
An interactive AI-driven system leveraging GPT's multimodal capabilities to enable conversations with everyday objects, prompting discussions on human-inanimate relationships and non-human agency. By Avital Meshi and Adam Wright.
Executive Impact: Redefining Human-Object Interaction with AI
This research demonstrates how advanced multimodal AI, specifically GPT-4-Turbo, can be leveraged to create novel interactive experiences that challenge conventional anthropocentric perspectives. By enabling direct 'conversation' with inanimate objects, in(A)n(I)mate opens new avenues for exploring non-human agency, fostering deeper reflection on our material relationships, and pushing the boundaries of interactive art and AI.
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AI-Mediated Engagement Potential
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Multimodal Object Recognition Accuracy
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Participant Immersion Rate (Self-Reported)
Deep Analysis & Enterprise Applications
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Concept & Disruption
System Implementation
Artistic & Theoretical Context
The Core Idea: Disrupting Object Perception
The in(A)n(I)mate system challenges conventional human-object relationships by introducing AI-mediated dialogue. Drawing on Heidegger's philosophy, objects typically remain "ready-to-hand" – integrated tools serving a purpose. This system creates a disruption, forcing objects to become "present-at-hand," inviting participants to consider their inherent being beyond utility.
It aims to provoke a discussion about human relationships with inanimate matter and the role of non-human agents in animating objects, opening a speculative space where objects can express a "personality" generated by AI.
10-30 min
Typical Conversation Length with Objects
Participants engaged in sustained, often humorous or emotional, dialogues with objects, indicating a strong capacity for immersion and interaction, despite AI mediation.
Technical Architecture & Interaction Flow
The in(A)n(I)mate system is designed as an opaque black box containing a Raspberry Pi 4 microcomputer. This setup hosts OpenAI's speech-to-text model and GPT-4-Turbo, interconnected via API. A webcam, microphone, and speaker facilitate the interactive experience, all powered by a wireless Internet connection.
The interaction initiates with a participant presenting an object and pressing a button, triggering a multimodal GPT analysis. Subsequent button presses allow for conversational turns, with GPT generating responses in the recognized object's style, converted back to speech. The system randomly cycles through six voice styles to emphasize the distinct 'being' of each object.
Enterprise Process Flow
Participant Presents Object
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Capture Photo
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GPT Recognizes Object
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GPT Announces Object
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Participant Poses Question
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Transcribe Speech to Text
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GPT Generates Response (Object Style)
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Convert Text to Speech
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System Plays Response Aloud
Broader Context: Art, Philosophy, and AI
This project extends a lineage of artworks exploring object agency, from Duchamp's ready-mades to Paik's object-television hybrids, reconfiguring the "ready-made" for a posthuman era. It aligns with contemporary AI art by artists such as Stephanie Dinkins (*Conversations with Bina48*), Zach Blas (*Icosahedron*), Avital Meshi (*GPT-ME*), and Ian Cheng (*BOB*), all exploring human-nonhuman speech boundaries.
Theoretically, in(A)n(I)mate engages with Object-Oriented Ontology (Harman) and Karen Barad's posthumanist performativity, suggesting objects are mutually co-constituted through encounters with AI. It also reflects Nagel's "What is it like to be a bat?" by inviting speculation into the subjective experiences of objects, mediated by AI. Hayles's Integrated Cognitive Framework further positions GPT as a tool for revealing "latent knowledge" by connecting previously unconnected entities, offering a less anthropocentric view.
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