Data as Culture - Art that uses data as a material

8 bespoke boxed soap bars embossed with key words and phrases relating to ‘Responsible AI’ (‘Practice’, ‘Iteration’, ‘Data is the feedstock of AI’, ‘Inclusion’, ‘Shared Understanding’, ‘Context’, ‘Care’, ‘Transparency’), 7 photographic portraits of Responsible AI researchers holding soaps with words they contributed, individual embossed soaps, context-specific participatory performance (duration and media variable).

The abstract, opaque and, at times, threatening world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is frequently referred to as a magical machine ‘other’, outside of human messiness or control. But humans create AI and choose what to do with it. Constant Washing Machine blends an investigation into the role of the fragile, subjective ‘humans in the loop’, with a response to the slipperiness of language used in Responsible AI policies. The artists identify our private use of soap as social activity, noting ‘we wash for others’. The most modest of objects – a bar of soap – is transformed into a reminder that Responsible AI is dependent on daily habits and culture, rather than policies or regulations.

Eight bespoke soap bars were embossed with words and phrases contributed by Responsible AI researchers and practitioners. They were then invited to pose for portraits with their soaps and participate in a hand-washing performance, or sharing of a private practice in public. Over time the words on the bars of soap are erased, but the repetitive practice of hand washing embeds the knowledge about Responsible AI. This act leads to a recognition that embodied knowledge and intuition are as important as technical skill and computational capability in these emerging systems.

Constant Washing Machine was created as part of Blast Theory’s residency on the University of Sheffield’s national research project FRAIM: Framing Responsible AI Implementation & Management, along with project partners The British Library, Eviden, Sheffield City Council and the Open Data Institute (ODI). FRAIM brings together cross-sector perspectives on organisational RAI policy and process to scope key stakeholders, shared values, and actionable research needed for building the evidence base on implementing and managing RAI. It aims to reshape views of ‘Responsible AI’ from simplistic solutions to dynamic processes and conversations, inviting everyone to consider their role in using and working with AI.

Cross-sector partnership

FRAIM brings together:

• University of Sheffield. A world-leading ‘internationally excellent’ (REF 2021) UK research university.
• British Library. Based in London, the BL is the national library of the United Kingdom. It is the custodian of the UK’s national collection of published, written and digital content.
• Open Data Institute. A not-for-profit institute that works with organisations to build data infrastructure, knowledge and strategies that create trust in data and data practice. Delivering the FRAIM project is part of ODI’s art programme Data as Culture.
• Sheffield City Council. One of the largest local government authorities in the UK, serving the needs of over half a million people and businesses in the fourth largest city in the UK.
• Eviden is a digital transformation company. It is a multinational consultancy which is part of the Atos group with 50k+ staff

FRAIM is a Bridging Responsible AI Divides (BRAID) scoping project funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council as part of the broader UK Bridging Responsible AI Divides (BRAID) programme to bring out the essential role of arts and humanities perspectives in shaping Responsible AI dialogues.

Read the interview with artist Matt Adams about the work