DURING-VIEWING
Read the "about this video" section to gain some context. When you're ready to watch, Turn off the lights and turn up the volume. The music was composed by Venezuelan-Portuguese rockstar Jean De Oliveira, a dear friend and longtime collaborator. This video was made for in-class viewing. Watching it on your phone while doing something else will flatten the experience.
ABOUT THIS VIDEO
I wanted to start this cycle by pulling the curtain back on the digital environment, that electric circuitry of interconnected devices we’ve built around us. We tend to think in a compartmentalized way: this is AI, this is the internet, this is my robotic electric car. But what if they are all basically the same thing? What if AI is not a chatbot coming for your job, but simply the new browser, the next interface through which we interact with the internet? Thinking of it that way helps demystify this concept of artificial intelligence. It also forces us to separate the marketing term “the cloud” from its physical reality, a massive tangle of cables, servers, hardware, and infrastructure.
For the prompt video, I interviewed several folks who play a crucial role in the implementation and adoption of AI at Texas State University. Their perspectives help clarify the basics of how this technology works and why this moment feels different. I also cover a few foundational concepts, such as how AI processes information. In that section, my father, José Carvajal, appears in a short cameo to illustrate a point about learning and games. My son Gian Luke is also part of that moment. As I’ve said, we’re going back to the basics here!
The post-viewing activity of this module was inspired by my work creating the Mediated Praxis Manifesto. I spent many hours collaborating with Reverend Paulo Marshall McFrerean to develop a set of tenets that grounded my exploration of AI from a holistic perspective. The process became a meaningful experience of co-creation with an artificial being, a reflective exchange with an electronic mirror. I want you to try something similar. If you commit to it, the exercise may shift how you see what we call artificial intelligence.
POST-VIEWING EXERCISE
You will now begin crafting the first tenets of your own guide for navigating the digital environment. Start by creating one rule and one visual to accompany it. Then pair up and work with a partner to develop two shared rules with two visuals. Treat these as the early pieces of a small manifesto shaped by your intentions, your values, and the stance you want to take in this new environment. When you finish, share your rules with your group of six and combine them into a mini-handbook. If you need inspiration, you may consult the Mediated Praxis Manifesto, as an example of how principles can be articulated clearly and intentionally.
PARTICIPANTS
RESOURCES
Expand your knowledge and follow your curiosity
Credits
PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHY
Romina Olson
ORIGINAL MUSIC
Jean de Oliveira
ACTORS
Sergio Carvajal-Leoni
Jose Carvajal
Gian Luke Carvajal-Olson
PRODUCER
Sergio Carvajal-Leoni
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Annelly Estrada
ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY
N/A
ANIMATIONS
Juan Olmedillo
Media usage disclaimer:
This video story is a non-profit educational effort; all media sampled and used conforms with fair use licensing (education). Several videos used are also in the public domain or licensed through Creative Commons attribution.
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