In this age of AI slop and prompt/output fatigue, liveness offers a counterweight—a return to curiosity, authenticity, and invigoration over optimization.
AI is shifting from an Era of Data toward an Era of Experience, wherein systems evolve through interaction (with environments, feedback loops, and each other). Artificial life has explored this territory for a long time. So have the live arts: theater, music, dance, games, interactive storytelling.
This residency will convene exceptional engineers, scientists, entrepreneurs, and artists to build, research, and experiment along (and beyond!) this theme. As always, we welcome proposals from individuals and teams who would benefit from working from an in-person community of informed optimists committed to creative and thoughtful innovation.
Program subgroups include:
Artificial Life, led by Artbreeder founder Joel Simon
Virtual life is back: works that live, grow and evolve.Realtime AI Interfaces, led by artist/engineer Memo Akten (UCSD faculty)
Time-based generative media (images, sound, text) with continuous control.Playing with Story, led by Max Kreminski (Cornell faculty/Midjourney)
Designing and developing new forms of narrative interactivity.Founders and Builders
Pre-idea or early stage founders (at any stage of their career).Futures of Music and Sound, led by Adrian Freed and Mayank Sanganeria
New relationships for music and sound in society.Theater + Code, led by theater director Michael Rau (Stanford faculty)
Exploring emerging technology for theater, experiential, and live performance.Computer Graphics, Animation, and Vfx
R&D for the next generation of visual culture.Tangible Imagination, led by Phyzify founder Alexander Reben
Build the bridge between thought and thing.AI Tools for Creative Expression, led by Artbreeder founder Joel Simon
Hyper-extend human intent. Tools for craft and control.Engineered Ecologies, led by Primitives founder Virj Kan
What new ecologies will link living biological and living digital systems?
Virtual life is back: works that live, grow and evolve.Realtime AI Interfaces, led by artist/engineer Memo Akten (UCSD faculty)
Time-based generative media (images, sound, text) with continuous control.Playing with Story, led by Max Kreminski (Cornell faculty/Midjourney)
Designing and developing new forms of narrative interactivity.Founders and Builders
Pre-idea or early stage founders (at any stage of their career).Futures of Music and Sound, led by Adrian Freed and Mayank Sanganeria
New relationships for music and sound in society.Theater + Code, led by theater director Michael Rau (Stanford faculty)
Exploring emerging technology for theater, experiential, and live performance.Computer Graphics, Animation, and Vfx
R&D for the next generation of visual culture.Tangible Imagination, led by Phyzify founder Alexander Reben
Build the bridge between thought and thing.AI Tools for Creative Expression, led by Artbreeder founder Joel Simon
Hyper-extend human intent. Tools for craft and control.Engineered Ecologies, led by Primitives founder Virj Kan
What new ecologies will link living biological and living digital systems?
We strongly encourage proposals that explore themes outside these areas as well (or invent new ones!)
Residencies include work space, housing (for those traveling from outside the bay area), and shop access. Residents participate in weekly lunches and dinners with the cohort and invited guests. Applicants may request funds to support travel and other expenses.
Dates: July 8th – September 15th (alternative dates may be possible)
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