"Reason brings the truth to light." This statement marked the Age of Enlightenment. At the same time, it stands for centuries of scientific endeavor, to fathom the world, especially as our understanding of knowledge grew. Many believe this marks the beginning of a new era. Probability models as a means to approach reality and based on artificial intelligence (AI) are also becoming more important.
Large Language Models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT (OpenAI) and Bard (Google), are becoming increasingly important as sources of information. LLMs are trained by using enormous amounts of text so that they can predict the next set of words (such as the answer), when given a set sequence of words (such as a question). The technical term is "Next Word Prediction". Will probability soon be replacing the search for knowledge and truth?
As a variation on the quoted phrase, the JKU is taking on the "Next Truth Prediction" theme between September 6 and September 10 at the 2023 Ars Electronica Festival at POST CITY in Linz.
Visitors can expect multi-faceted insight into generative AI and the underlying technologies presented by researchers, artists, and other experts.
Next Truth Prediction.
Date:
September 6 - 10, 2023
Where:
At Post City and at the AEC Futurelab
ChatGPT and Democracy
JKU Rector Meinhard Lukas states, "ChatGPT and other related systems are becoming increasingly important as sources of information, and their influence is growing rapidly, especially the way they are influencing public opinion. They will undoubtedly transform democracy. In Europe, we still have the power to influence the direction of these development ourselves! The 2023 Ars Electronica Festival addresses this issue and, together with MIT, we aim to literally make it more tangible at the festival."
„When experts think of ChatGPT, they are referring to an intellectual revolution. As this is something that concerns and affects all of us, we would like to invite visitors to the JKU Square at POST CITY to talk with us and let us provide a short introduction.“
AI - Can It Think? Feel? Compute?
At the crossroads of science and art, "Next Truth Prediction" will take a look at large-scale language models, such as ChatGPT & Co., and explore the way they impact public information and, ultimately, democracy.
JKU AI School
If we want to interact with chatbots, such as ChatGPT and Bard, in a more informed, reflective way, and use them as a source of information, it makes sense, of course, to understand just how they work. The JKU Square at POST CITY is the ideal address to learn more: Visitors can attend the "JKU AI School" with JKU AI experts for a crash course on the technology behind ChatGPT and Bard.
The JKU AI Lab at POST CITY: The European Chatbot
The JKU's Institute for Machine Learning is moving its acclaimed AI Lab to POST CITY during the festival. During the festival, those visiting the JKU Square will learn more about the very latest work being done on a chatbot as a European alternative to ChatGPT & Co. Together with Jürgen Schmidhuber, AI pioneer Sepp Hochreiter laid the foundations for LSTM technology in the 1990s. Now he & his team are working on an advanced development called "X-LSTM" to help make chatbots even better.
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By invitation of the JKU:
MIT at POST CITY
The JKU has invited the internationally renowned Center of Constructive Communication (CCC) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to take part in this year's festival for the first time. An exhibition and two workshops will provide insight into the CCC's work and its extensive expertise in the field of current social and mass media ecosystems.
In addition, Cortico, an MIT CCC spin-off, will showcase its Local Voices Network (LVN) platform. By self-definition, LVN is a unique system for "human listening and machine learning", combining ancient techniques of human dialogue and immersive listening with the analytical power of modern AI.
„Increasingly we are seeing how today’s media and social media technologies are accelerating, both weakening our social fabric and threatening democracies. Through our workshops, presentation, and exhibit at Ars Electronica, we will put forth new concepts for digital networks that draw on advances in generative AI combined with the power of human listening to reverse today’s increasingly toxic polarization.“
![[Translate to Englisch:] Deb Roy; Credit: MIT](/fileadmin/_processed_/2/5/csm_jku-deb-roy-credit-mit_b7161cd61d.jpg)
The Circus of Knowledge, featuring Rimini Protokoll, at the Ars Electronica Festival
The Circus of Knowledge will take the stage for the first time at this year's Ars Electronica Festival and will feature top-notch, international partners. The Circus of Knowledge and Puppetficial Intelligence take on the topic of generative AI and language models as part of an omnipresent, anarchic and wicked puppet show (for adults) in an in-house production of "AI - A Punch Intervenes" (by and featuring puppeteer Andreas Pfaffenberger, premiering on September 6 at 1:30 PM at the JKU Square).
In addition, the Circus of Knowledge has invited the award-winning German theater collective Rimini Protokoll (winners of the European Theater Prize) to address the issue of AI as part of its highly acclaimed production, "Uncanny Valley": Can a robot convincingly portray a human on stage? Performances will take place at the Ars Electronica Center and at the Futurelab. See: https://www.rimini-protokoll.de/website/en/project/unheimliches-tal-uncanny-valley, opens an external URL in a new window to learn more.
During the festival, the Circus of Knowledge will also screen the only computer-animated film by William Kentridge made during the 1990s. Initially created for MoMA NY, this film has rarely been seen anywhere in the world and will be contextualized together with a very recent AI-generated piece by Turkish media artist Refik Anadol. Festival visitors will also have the opportunity to speak with William Kentridge via video transmission from Manhattan about the act of creation in art.
Time's Up's "AIFutures" workshops, organized at the invitation of the Circus, should also not go unmentioned. These workshops invite the festival visitors to work together to develop future scenarios associated with Artificial Intelligence and Natural Intelligence, and in line with the title of the festival "Who Owns the Truth?
The JKU has a limited number of tickets to "Uncanny Valley" available for JKU employees. If you are interested, please contact us by sending an e-mail to: zirkus@jku.at.
Some of the Highlights
Kasperl; Credit: Mika Bangemann
JKU. Human Intelligence is Shaping Artificial Intelligence.
Meinhard Lukas remarked: "When it comes to developing so-called artificial intelligence, the JKU is a hub and there is a good reason why. Only by continuously conducting research on AI from all professional perspectives in Austria and Europe will we be able to contribute to shaping the direction of AI. Otherwise, we are merely passengers without the ability to exert any kind of influence whatsoever on whether or not our European values will survive this technological revolution. This is why the the JKU, together with its outstanding researchers and scholars, is playing a powerful role in the transformation process."
