From AI chatbots to virtual companions and the never ending wave of deepfakes on our screens, artificial intelligence is an unavoidable part of culture nowadays. This Saturday (February 24), the ICA is hosting a day-long event touching on these very topics, featuring talks, performances and readings at the forefront of machine creativity and AI. 

Inspired by the landmark 1968 exhibition Cybernetic Serendipity, the first-ever international event in the UK dedicated to arts and emerging technologies, the event, titled Cybernetic Serendipity: Towards AI, will look back to look forwards, exploring the the transformative potential of machine learning across the creative industries, from algorithms and text-to-image chatbots like ChatGPT to building virtual worlds and using AI to detect bias and disinformation. 

Co-curated by Dazed’s features editor Günseli Yalcinkaya, curator Susanna Davies-Crook and technology researcher and writer Bronac Ferran, the day will kick off with a keynote lecture by Jasia Reichardt, the original exhibition’s curator, before diving into a series of panels about the history of AI, the possibilities of machine learning within artistic creation, and NFTs, with speakers including Christiane Paul, Rachel O’Dwyer, Lawrence Lek, 0xSalon and more. 

There will also be performances throughout the day by the likes of Pharmako AI author K Allado-McDowell, a screening of Berlin-based artist Marianna Simnett’s 2022 video Blue Moon, and a closing set courtesy of PAN’s Heith. 

Head over to the ICA website for more information, and grab your tickets here.