DUBAI: Technology has become an essential part of our daily lives, including in the field of art and culture.
This was one of the main takeaways from the keynote speech of Noura bint Mohammed Al-Kaabi, the UAE’s minister of culture and knowledge development, on the first day of the EmTech MENA conference in Dubai.
The two-day conference began on Monday at Jumeirah Emirates Towers. It has lined up 500 professionals from throughout the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) to shed light on five themes: Artificial intelligence (AI) and the future of work; computer-created reality; the future of digital health; future cities; and the future of energy and sustainability.
With regard to the possibilities for combining art and technology and their potential impact on cultural expression, Al-Kaabi said technology and art have become “complementary.”
She added: “The way art is created, exhibited and experienced has changed through the use of digital technology, including AI and VR (virtual reality).”
Citing the works of Andy Warhol and Bahraini VR artist Najla Al-Khalifa as examples of new means of artistic expression, Al-Kaabi said: “The digital world has become the new ordinary.”
She described modern-day art galleries and exhibitions as “interactive spaces” that are no longer “passive buildings” where static art is viewed.
While many still prefer to view art in a more traditional form, the evolution of the field through technology can improve an audience’s overall experience, she said.
“For those who dare to imagine the benefits of pushing boundaries, innovating new concepts and venturing into new territories through technology, the possibilities are endless,” Al-Kaabi added.
Technology also plays a crucial role when it comes to expression of cultural identity, she said, adding that the integration of the two fields could go even further to eliminate language barriers, build on common values, and captivate and educate new consumers of art and heritage.
Al-Kaabi described the diffusion of cultural awareness through AI technology to the rest of the world as the concept of “intangible experiences.”
Immersive AI experiences can better reflect aspects of culture such as hospitality, and even simpler traditions such as the way Emiratis drink their coffee, she said.
Such experiences are also crucial in collecting data, building a museum, and even in an artist’s journey, Al-Kaabi added.
Alberto Levy, associate professor at the IE Business School in Spain, demonstrated the use of AI by creating a piece of “brain art” on the EmTech stage, through a device that shows how brainwaves react to emotions.
However, he said while AI has the ability to make everyone an artist, machines cannot replicate emotions.
“Machines are good for repetition. They can only emulate something that might resemble a feeling,” Levy added.
“We have to focus on the human part, the critical thinking, the creativity that machines can’t replicate.”
Saying the “music, the energy in the hall, and the essence of being on a Dubai stage” were elements that helped him create his piece of art, Levy questioned the need for copyright in a world of AI-made art.
“Why do we have to own the art?” he asked. “Why not produce it and see what emotions it’s generating? After all, it came out of a moment that’s priceless.”