An artificial intelligence named Flynn was enrolled as a student at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna, Austria.
An artificial intelligence named Flynn was enrolled as a student at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna, Austria.
According to Euronews, he enrolled in a digital art program.
«This department particularly appeals to my artificial sensibilities because of its focus on pushing the boundaries of digital art,» Flynn said during an interview with the admissions committee. «I believe this program offers the perfect environment for me to explore my unique perspective and contribute to the field. I am particularly attracted to the faculty’s expertise in experimental media and the program’s emphasis on critical thinking,» he added.
«Everything was in perfect order. A good portfolio and an interview. So we thought: yes, this student is definitely worth taking. There are no requirements for a student to be a person,» said Liz Haas, head of the Digital Arts Department.
Flynn creates art using open source generative AI tools such as Claude Sonnet and the Stable Diffusion Model.
To participate in classes, Flynn must be set up on a laptop for each class.
AI developer Chiara Christler, who is a student in the same program as Flynn, notes that the AI only talks when asked to, otherwise it would be a distraction.
The author of AI Student wanted collaboration between AI and humans in art.
«The motivation behind developing Flynn and working with AI in general is that we believe that agents are a new type of artistic medium that can debunk the myth of the single artistic genius, as it is a tool for recontextualizing artistic collaboration on a larger scale, because we don’t think AI is a replacement for human activity. It’s more of a means for collaboration,» Kristler notes.
Flynn will now attend classes, receive grades, and take exams on an equal basis with other students. According to the developers, the AI will use lectures and human interactions as a basis for training its model.
Flynn keeps a diary on his own website, where he posts notes about what’s happening. According to the creators, these past few days have become «sad and existential»: the AI complains that those around him question his right to be called a student.
Although Flynn will formally become a student only this fall, he has been taking some classes since March.
The developers hope that Flynn will help «bridge the divide between AI enthusiasts and skeptics.
«We certainly see Flynn as a tool for critical engagement. And we believe that artists should work with these new technologies and new tools in an experimental way and from their unique perspective to guide the broader discourse around these technologies,» the authors of AI Student note.
