Co.Lab AI+

The new Co.Lab AI+ has been open at the University of Ars Linz since February 1. It uses the means of art to conduct critical and curious research and experiments on and with artificial intelligence in order to test new forms of practice as well as theoretical perspectives.

The Co.Lab AI+ sees itself as an alternative to extractivist efficiency narratives. Instead, AI is always negotiated here in its social, ecological and political dimensions. The focus is therefore on experimental formats that not only apply AI or misunderstand it as a mere tool, but also make its material consumption of resources, its aesthetic logics and its social and ethical implications (bias, inequality, responsibility) visible and thus open to criticism.
A central aspect of the lab is responsibility: if AI takes, it must also give back. Not abstractly, but very concretely and for every project. Various forms of giving back are explored in the Lab.
The Co in Co.Lab is the program. The lab is not setting up parallel structures, but rather networking people, departments and resources, making existing AI activities visible and promoting new forms of collaboration through joint projects. Over the next five years, several cross-departmental project tracks will be created. They range from small, quick-to-start microformats to longer-term project strands and will be implemented in various formats, such as lectures, teaching events, research activities and exhibitions. In order to give this diversity a common framework and a common direction, changing thematic focuses will be set each semester to bring projects together and provide orientation.
One of the central structures of the lab will be the curated Co.Lib. It is a dynamic knowledge pool and living memory of the lab. Materials, cases and documentation will flow into the Co.Lib as project outputs and will also be available as a resource for new projects.

Management and contact

Assoc. Prof. Nina ^Wenhart, PhD
M: +43 676 84 7898 585
nina.wenhart@kunstuni-linz.at 
Office hours: on request

Location

University of Arts Linz
Peter-Behrens-Platz 10/5
4020 Linz | Austria