Visions of Destruction: Exploring a Potential of Generative AI in Interactive Art
Mar Canet Sola, Varvara Guljajeva
TL;DR
The paper addresses how generative AI, particularly diffusion models, can power interactive art guided by audience gaze to reveal environmental and Anthropocene themes. It presents Visions of Destruction as a practice-based case study where eye-tracking governs inpainting prompts and generates evolving landscapes. It surveys prior art, discusses technical challenges, biases in training data, and argues for open-source local deployments to ensure sustainability. The work contributes to creative AI and interactive art by demonstrating a scalable, co-creative workflow that links technological possibility with environmental consciousness.
Abstract
This paper explores the potential of generative AI within interactive art, employing a practice-based research approach. It presents the interactive artwork "Visions of Destruction" as a detailed case study, highlighting its innovative use of generative AI to create a dynamic, audience-responsive experience. This artwork applies gaze-based interaction to dynamically alter digital landscapes, symbolizing the impact of human activities on the environment by generating contemporary collages created with AI, trained on data about human damage to nature, and guided by audience interaction. The transformation of pristine natural scenes into human-made and industrialized landscapes through viewer interaction serves as a stark reminder of environmental degradation. The paper thoroughly explores the technical challenges and artistic innovations involved in creating such an interactive art installation, emphasizing the potential of generative AI to revolutionize artistic expression, audience engagement, and especially the opportunities for the interactive art field. It offers insights into the conceptual framework behind the artwork, aiming to evoke a deeper understanding and reflection on the Anthropocene era and human-induced climate change. This study contributes significantly to the field of creative AI and interactive art, blending technology and environmental consciousness in a compelling, thought-provoking manner.