The project phases at a glance:

• At the beginning of the project, we worked with the co-researchers to collect and summarize their current knowledge, understanding and questions about AI.
• We then worked with some of the co-researchers to develop ideas for interventions that could improve the public's understanding of AI.
• We subsequently implemented one of these intervention ideas, an AI song, in collaboration with the singer-songwriter Blonder Engel: “A Song All About AI” (original: “A Liadl, ans üwa KI”)
• We examined the effect of the intervention in an empirical study.
• An accompanying evaluation of the participatory process was carried out throughout the course of the project

First project phase: Gathering knowledge, understanding and questions about AI

In the first phase of the project, we worked with the three groups of co-researchers, both in parallel and separately from each other. Each group had its own focus. A series of three workshops of around three hours were held with each group. During this phase, we (members of the LIT Robopsychology Lab research team) acted as moderators and co-researchers. In particular, we endeavored to share the results of the individual workshops with the other groups and thus create a constant feedback loop between the different groups.

• With the Citizen Scientists group, we developed and explained everyday perspectives and subjective views on the topic of AI in the course of three workshops. In particular, personally important questions, concerns and wishes about AI in everyday life were examined from the perspective of the Citizen Scientists and around 100 questions on the subject of AI were collected, which we then jointly summarized into three main topics.
• With the group of Artists, we aimed to introduce an artistic perspective and develop new creative approaches to knowledge transfer and the communication of AI-relevant knowledge. Over the course of three workshops, we were able to collect numerous innovative ideas for art-based interventions, which formed the basis for the subsequent artistic intervention.
• The group of Experts discussed topics surrounding AI from their professional perspective, thus providing a “realistic view” of AI and the corresponding technological developments beyond dystopian or utopian perspectives. In particular, the results of the workshops with the Citizen Scientists were discussed critically from an expert perspective.

Impressions of the workshops

Second project phase: developing ideas for artistic interventions

In the second phase of the project, a joint half-day workshop was held with members of all three groups. In this “idea development workshop”, concrete ideas for artistic interventions to communicate AI-relevant topics were developed. A total of twelve people from all three groups took part in this workshop: four citizen scientists, three artists and two AI experts, as well as three members of our research team from the LIT Robopsychology Lab.

The starting point were the three main topics on AI that had been developed by the citizen scientists in the series of three workshops during the first project phase:

• What is AI?
• How do I recognize AI in everyday life?
• How can we address ethical issues surrounding AI?

After developing various art-based approaches for communicating basic AI knowledge during the idea development workshop, we finally settled on a selection of three options for the intervention:

• AI circus show
• AI sticker campaign
• AI song or musical

Third project phase: Implementation of an intervention, a song

In order to be able to implement a concrete artistic intervention, an idea was selected by the LIT Robopsychology Lab research team at the start of the final third project phase: An AI song to communicate basic AI knowledge to the local population in Upper Austria.

Decision in favor of the AI song idea:

The decision in favor of the AI-Song idea was made due to the easy and wide dissemination possibilities (e.g., via internet, radio), the possibility of reuse (e.g., in other interpretations, translations or in other formats such as videos or performances) and due to the available means and time of the project.

Collaboration with the singer-songwriter “Blonder Engel”:

After deciding to implement an AI song as an artistic intervention, we entered into a collaboration with the Linz-based musician “Der Blonde Engel” for this purpose. This phase of the project was characterized by the question of how the questions and topics on AI from the first project phase could be incorporated into the song. In several meetings, we introduced “Blonder Engel” to the process and the topics of the project and communicated the content developed in the workshop phase. “Blonder Engel” then composed a first version of the AI song: “A Liadl, ans üwa KI” (English translation: “A Song All About AI”)

Song discussion with the co-researchers:

The interim status of the AI song “A Song All About AI” (original German: “A Liadl, ans üwa KI”) was then performed by the artist “Blonder Engel” during a workshop attended by individuals from all three groups of co-researchers (Citizen Scientists, Artists, AI Experts) as well as members of our LIT Robopsychology Lab research team. We discussed the song and its content together. In particular, the following questions were discussed in depth: Does the song fit the project? Were the idea and the essential core themes of the joint workshops conveyed well? What other ideas are there for using the song?

“A Song All About AI” - song and video:

In the end, “A Song All About AI” (original German: “A Liadl, ans üwa KI”) was composed by “Blonder Engel” and recorded in his studio. We also produced a music video alongside the song. The song and video were released as part of the final event in the Kepler Salon. Some of the Citizen Scientists, Artists and AI experts involved in the research were also present.