AI-driven echo chamber installation by post- questions freedom of speech

the installation invites participants into a 10-foot aluminum booth surrounded by red vinyl strip curtains.

RS Whitby edited by christina vergopoulou September 20, 2024 4 min

Echo Chamber Explores Self-Expression in Isolation

Echo Chamber by post- is an interactive installation created for the 2024 Cornell Council for the Arts exhibition, exploring the theme of ‘Freedom of Expression.’ The installation highlights the ironic isolation of self-expression within one’s ‘bubble’ using AI-generated interactions. Positioned at Cornell’s Milstein Hall, the installation takes the form of a 10-foot-tall aluminum booth, surrounded by red vinyl strip curtains. Participants step inside to engage with the installation by recording their opinions in response to prompts that encourage controversial viewpoints.

AI-driven echo chamber installation by post- questions freedom of speech - 1 — all images courtesy of Anson Wigner / Cornell AAP

installation by Post- Creates AI-driven soundscapes

The system by post- creative office employs OpenAI’s Whisper for speech recognition and a custom GPT model to transform the participants’ recorded opinions into altered, yet related statements. These transformed statements are then broadcasted back to the participants via eight speakers hardwired into three-inch pyramidal acoustic foam, creating a layered soundscape of AI-generated voices. The staggered playback through the speakers, each with differing volumes and tones, envelops the user in a distorted reflection of their own words, simulating the experience of being inside an echo chamber. Occasionally, minor glitches or inconsistencies in the AI’s responses break the illusion, serving as a reminder of the artificial nature of the interaction.

Lighting embedded within the foam responds dynamically, reinforcing the waveform of the voices and drawing participants deeper into the experience. The installation creates a sensory environment that visualizes the phenomenon of echo chambers, where ideas and opinions are reflected back, often without challenge or opposition.

AI-driven echo chamber installation by post- questions freedom of speech - 2 — Echo Chamber explores self-expression in isolation at the 2024 Cornell Council of the Arts exhibition

Echo Chamber challenges the participant’s understanding of self-expression in algorithmically curated digital spaces, emphasizing the importance of spaces where disagreement and debate can take place. It serves as a critique of modern communication landscapes and highlights the university’s role in fostering environments that encourage open and respectful dialogue across differing viewpoints.

AI-driven echo chamber installation by post- questions freedom of speech - 3 — the installation invites participants into a 10-foot aluminum booth surrounded by red vinyl strip curtains

AI-driven echo chamber installation by post- questions freedom of speech - 4 — participants record their opinions in response to controversial prompts, as part of the interactive experience

AI-driven echo chamber installation by post- questions freedom of speech - 5 — AI-generated voices create an immersive auditory experience that questions spaces without room for dissent

echo-chamber-ai-installation-post-designboom-1800-2 — eight speakers embedded in acoustic foam broadcast AI-modified versions of participants’ opinions

echo-chamber-ai-installation-post-designboom-1800-3 — staggered playback simulates the experience of being surrounded by echoed versions of one’s own words

AI-driven echo chamber installation by post- questions freedom of speech - 6 — 8-Channel audio array plays generated echoes and syncs with LEDs

AI-driven echo chamber installation by post- questions freedom of speech - 7 — the sensory environment immerses users in a distorted reflection of their own ideas and viewpoints

AI-driven echo chamber installation by post- questions freedom of speech - 8 — dynamic lighting responds to the AI-generated voices, adding depth to the immersive installation

AI-driven echo chamber installation by post- questions freedom of speech - 9 — custom electronics are housed in an aluminum and black mirror case

AI-driven echo chamber installation by post- questions freedom of speech - 10 — post- uses design and technology to explore how ideas circulate and transform within digital echo chambers

project info:

name: echo chamber
designer: post- | @post.operations

host: Cornell Council for the Arts (CCA) | @cornellcouncilarts

location: Ithaca, New York

photography: Anson Wigner

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.