Tribune News Network
Doha
‘Ai or Nay? Artificial vs. Intelligent’ is the latest exhibition set to open at the Media Majlis Museum at Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q), exploring the evolving relationship between human creativity and machine learning, while examining the opportunities and challenges AI presents in contemporary journalism.
Running from January 15 to May 15, the exhibition includes a collection of over 20 works by regional and international artists, spanning diverse mediums including visual arts, installations, and mixed media. It also features immersive digital experiences, newly commissioned works and loaned pieces from prestigious institutions such as the Computer History Museum (California, USA), Barjeel Art Foundation (Sharjah, UAE), and Qatar Museums (Doha, Qatar).
Curated by Jack Thomas Taylor, curator of art, media, and technology at the Media Majlis Museum, and in alignment with the museum’s mission to foster critical thinking and connect with the ever-evolving contemporary world, ‘Ai or Nay?’ has invited visitors to challenge and question the intersection and boundaries between digital and human learning focusing on how contemporary journalism could exploit the diverse possibilities of AI, its opportunities, and its limitations.
"As an institution dedicated to advancing media and communication excellence, this exhibition offers a thought-provoking exploration of how AI is shaping the world of media, privacy, identity, and representation and challenges us to reconsider our evolving relationship with technology,” said Marwan M Kraidy, dean and CEO of NU-Q.
"We embrace this opportunity to advance collaboration, critical inquiry, and community engagement—values that align with our commitment to excellence. This exhibition is a powerful example of how art and innovation can inspire meaningful dialogue about the future of media.”
This exhibition, viewed through the lenses of four themes -- hindsight, insight, foresight, and oversight -- invites audiences to explore how AI is transforming the notions of privacy, identity, and representation.
Through captivating installations, visitors encounter sketches morphing into digital artworks (Dream Machine by Jan Zuiderveld), robotic arms capturing their portraits (Time to Read by Patrick Tresset), and a 3D-printed nose telling stories through scent (Adnose by Adnan Ayub Aga). The exhibition encourages the audience to question, reconsider, and delve deeper into their inevitable connection with the ever-evolving realm of AI.
Alfredo Cramerotti, director of the Media Majlis Museum, noted: "The Media Majlis Museum serves as a space for reflection and challenge, inviting the audience, and the young generation, to question norms and rethink their relationship with AI. This exhibition dares audiences to ask, where are we headed in our coevolution with artificial intelligence? It’s not a linear journey but an exploratory one that encourages visitors to navigate through the content, jump between ideas and learn through engagement.”
Ai or Nay? features new works by international and regional artists that confront the impact of AI on privacy, identity, and representation. These include Cairo-based Yemeni artist Amr Alngmah’s "Artificial Target,” which explores the interplay between software, hardware, and humanity; Doha-based Bangladeshi artist Farjana Salahuddin’s interactive work, "Patterned Desserts,” which examines themes of authorship and tangibility; and the collaborative digital artwork "How We See the ComputerHow the Computer Sees Us” by Qatari graphic designer Hind Al Saad and Doha-based Egyptian artist Hadeer Omar, which visually investigates the relationship between AI and human cognition.
Berlin-based Turkish artist Bilge Emir, known for her comic book style, contributed illustrations to the exhibition’s visual identity that bridge art and technology. Accompanying these artworks are digital installations produced by the Musuem, including "Is It Real?,” a digital essay that blends AI-generated material with found footage; "Building Blocks of AI and Journalism,” which explores the evolving relationship between Journalism and Artificial Intelligence; and "Where Do They Stand?,” a simulated conversation that examines the potential and limitations of chatbots in investigative journalism.
"Ai or Nay? emerged in response to the renewed public discourse surrounding artificial intelligence, its paradoxes, challenges, and opportunities,” said Taylor. "It offers an alternative perspective by using art to speculate about technology and how new media experiences can trigger curiosity to understand more about journalism. Curating this exhibition has provided a space for interpretive engagement, where the audience can consider diverse perspectives and viewpoints. Visitors can engage with both digital and physical content in unique ways, and contemplate whether we are shaping AI or if AI is shaping us.”
The exhibition is also accompanied by a comprehensive, full-colour illustrated glossary of terminology associated with AI and journalism, available in both English and Arabic published by Silvana Editoriale. Edited by Taylorand Dubai-based journalist Katy Gillett, the publication features a foreword by Dean Kraidy, an introduction by Taylor, and an endword by Cramerotti.
As the Arab world’s leading university museum, Media Majlis Museum is committed to offering dynamic and evolving exhibitions that challenge traditional boundaries and address contemporary topics. ‘Ai or Nay?’ aligns with NU-Q’s broader goals by encouraging visitors to reflect on the rapidly developing role of AI in shaping societal values, media consumption, and ethical considerations and underscores the museum’s role as a cultural hub that fosters deeper connections to contemporary issues while pushing the boundaries of traditional art forms and artistic expression.