There’s quite a few so I don’t really know where to start! But I think the moments when I’ve felt the most helpless is when there are technological problems - I can’t figure out a simulation, I’ve had a system crash, auto save mysteriously wasn’t on, hardware issues, running out of storage but the deadline is the next day, following an idea for too long and then in the last 10% I still can’t get the project to work because something can’t be simulated etc etc. Sometimes the stress and concentration required for a job like this takes a massive mental toll which makes relatively manageable tasks feel impossible at times. Anyone working in 3D will understand what I mean haha. In saying that, with time, I’m learning to manage stress by not over working and prioritising having as much fun in my life as I do work. This makes the challenges less overwhelming and I’m able to stay more calm in testing times. I’ve realised nothing is worth burning out for so my approach is simply to do less but do what I choose to do, better. 

Other, more abstract obstacles, are more closely related to my relationship to my ego and expression. When I’m feeling uninspired (this often happens when I put unrealistic expectations on myself) it can be a challenging headspace to move out of. I always hope to push myself further both creatively and conceptually on every project I do - but I have the unfortunate tendency to be quite impatient with myself which creates a lot of problems. I’m slowly learning how to allow myself more time to explore and let the ideas flow out of me instead of forcefully trying to summon them. Not an easy task but I’m working on it!

What I find particularly interesting about AI is how much it makes people question the way they interpret the world, particularly when considering the fusion and tensions between human creativity and technology. The line between man and machine is becoming increasingly more ambiguous and difficult to distinguish between which understandably people find incredibly concerning. We really don’t know where this is all going and I think this general anxiety is felt on many levels with our governments and policy makers worldwide. It feels a bit like the wild wild west at the moment and I think AI has become a real symbol of that. 

The surreal imagery that is often produced by AI art perfectly depicts how abstract and disorientating the world is becoming. It’s constantly morphing into something we didn’t expect or see coming and the whiplash of this has immeasurable consequences for everyone.

So although I don’t use AI for creative purposes at the moment, I really do think, as a medium, it perfectly encapsulates the imbalances, uncertainties and anxieties felt globally and is a powerful tool that encourages viewers to reflect on their own lives, beliefs and value systems. I think a level of skepticism about AI has encouraged people to rethink where they place their trust and how they engage with  media literacy and misinformation thus prompting a broader discussion about the importance of transparency and ethical practices in media production which is an incredibly important lesson AI is teaching us. 

So with that in mind, I think AI simultaneously symbolises a sense of necessary and urgent social change/ action, hope, innovation, potential and collectiveness that really aligns with my values and interests as an artist. I think it’s been an incredibly eye opening societal shift that has and will continue to have an immense impact on the way we engage with art but more importantly the world around us. 

As the technology continues to evolve, I look forward to experimenting with the medium in the future. AI isn’t going anywhere so it’s important that we embrace this new technological epoch and ensure that our governments establish transparent and ethical standards for AI development and keep CEOs and learning engineers accountable.