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Creative projects with AI contribution

This three-year initiative produces creative outputs in fields related to design, especially including a physical component. The initiative curates, funds, and coordinates projects, which aim for relevant public presentation. A related research publication is not obligatory, but preferred. Of the resulting works of practice and art, a hybrid physical/digital exhibition will collect and celebrate the outcome, in second half of 2027. The work is expected to feed to the development of computational co-creativity at Aalto Arts.

"Original and appropriate"

Creativity requires a level of originality or novelty, as well as approriateness or relevance. Physical world constraints and requirements, and humans operating there, pose different fitness criteria for creative output than that expected from immaterial creative outputs. Many designers operate where material and digital meet. As Aalto ARTS has been in the forefront combining digital and physical into creative solutions, the potential of AI to human creativity is a field we want to contribute on, and learn from.

Design, art, research

Apart from a call for project proposals for designers and artists who want to realize and publish such, we invite researchers of computational creativity to contribute and collaborate with the project owners.

Objectives

The longer term objectives include:
* Establish a research and design agenda of the applications of AI in the field of physical artefact design
* Develop recognition in the field, liaising with other relevant AI activities at Aalto and outside of it
* Support design teaching with research and practice-based outputs 
* Secure funding for the future

Coordination and steering

A steering group from ARTS oversees the initiative: 

• Severi Uusitalo (Project coordinator, Dept. of Design))
• Tuuli Mattelmäki (Prof. Dept. of Design)
• Pia Fricker (Assoc. Prof, Dept. of Architecture)

Funding

The initiative is made possible by the endowment from Fiskars Group.

Projects

In 2024-2026 art-ai-fact actively looks for projects from creatives and creative collections who want to contribute with a project, which contributes to our developing understanding of human-AI co-creation in physical product design, while delivering a design artifact.

Criteria for projects:

Creative design ambition: the project will be presented in a relevant curated exhibition or other, reviewed venue.

The project applies AI to contribute to the creative output, or process. The nature of AI is not limited to e.g., LLMs.

There is sufficient proposed and perceived potential impact which is aligned with Aalto's strategic, research, and educational objectives. Research potential relates to authors' own reporting in a peer-reviewed forum, or collaborating with Aalto's or other researchers about the project, for reporting.

Funding can be used to materials, services, for residence and visiting costs at Aalto, as well as some direct salary costs. Aalto can also invite the author/artist as Designer in Residence, or Visiting Researcher.

Proposal:

1. CVs for the participants
2. Abstract of the project
3. Planned creative impact and planned venue
4. Research impact
5. Detailed description of the planned project, role of AI, and creative output.

Please contact severi.uusitalo@aalto.fi for more information. The call is rolling, and we handle proposals multiple times a year.