Bringing the future closer to the present: Ayca Turan’s speech at SPC1

In line with this year’s theme of Artificial intelligence, Ayca Turan, a creative technologist who works with AI, delivered a talk to SPC1, providing valuable perspectives and thought-provoking insights. She began by asking if the delegates had ever met a creative technologist before, given its recency, and went on to explain what she does. She explained how despite her job involving AI, she still firmly believes in the importance of asking for a pen and paper in an era where a computer dominates writing. “AI can empower individuals to express themselves and express our unique visions”.  AI could empower humans, rather than replace them. 

This was followed by an inquiry into the delegates’ usage of AI, asking if they had experimented with AI. She asked delegates if they have taken advantage of AI’s many capabilities, including image and video generation, showcasing not only how widespread AI is, but also the many ways in which it can be used. She went on to cover how each of these abilities can be harnessed, such as remembering loved ones, creating album covers, and creating films in 2 weeks. 

“Are we curating our identities or losing ourselves?” was another key point of her speech, where she highlighted the importance of keeping the human side in mind when developing and using Artificial Intelligence. She closed her talk by mentioning the potential for AI to be utilised in not just creation, but also restoration, helping museums and allowing for lost media to be restored, or even enhanced. After an enthusiastic applause from the crowd, an array of questions was answered, leaving all delegates with philosophical ponderings as she masterfully answered each of them, breeding more chatter regarding the matter amongst the delegates. Her perspicacious insights have left the delegates of SPC1 excited about what AI has in store for them in the future.