Titled "Uncanny Valley: Being Human in the Age of AI," the exhibition will be on view from Feb. 22 to Oct. 25 at the M. H. de Young Memorial Museum, a fine arts museum near Golden Gate Park in the city's west.
Taking advantage of the museum's proximity to Silicon Valley, it is the first major AI-themed art exhibition in the United States.
The concept of the "uncanny valley," introduced by Japanese engineer Masahiro Mori in 1970, is used as a metaphor for the uneasy relationship between human beings and lifelike robots or thinking machines.
Through the lens of artists, the exhibition explores the tension between the opportunities and anxiety brought by AI, and raises challenging questions about the future interface of humans and machines, said Thomas Campbell, director and CEO of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (FAMSF), at a press preview event Thursday.
The exhibition is driven by the fervent debate around the question of what it means to be human, as technological innovation continues to shape people's identities and societies, said Claudia Schmuckli, curator in charge of contemporary art and programing at the FAMSF and organizer of the exhibition.
"The show looks at both the philosophical and political states of the increasing integration of AI, or better machine learning, into the social sphere, and as a result into every aspect of our daily lives, whether or not we are consciously thinking about how and this happens to us," said Schmuckli at the event.
The exhibits, including installations, sculptures and videos created by an international group of artists, explore the current juncture through philosophical, political and poetic questions and problems raised by AI.
Among the AI-powered installations is a digitally simulated AI creature, called BOB (Bag of Beliefs). Created by U.S. artist Ian Cheng, it is capable of evolution, but its growth, behavior and personality are molded by online interactions with visitors who assume collective responsibility for its wellbeing.
Inspired by the ubiquity of enclosed gardens on tech campuses, Zach Blas, a London-based artist, created an artificial garden framed by a six-channel video projected on glass panes that convey a sense of algorithmic psychedelia aiming to open new "doors of perception."
By paying close attention to the "imminent and nuanced realities" of AI's possibilities and pitfalls, the artists in the exhibition seek to "thicken the discourse around AI," said Schmuckli.