Performance and Technology: The Art and Science of the Artificial

This seminar will explore the recent rise of “artificial intelligence” from the interdisciplinary perspectives afforded by performance studies. Performance studies is ideally situated to study algorithms, not as mathematical abstractions, but as material practices predating human tools and modern machines. Specifically, we will look to the emergence of the concept of artificial intelligence as it emerged from wide-ranging algorithmic practices from the mid- 20th century to the present. We will consider the subsequent rise of automation in fields as diverse as financial analysis, climate modeling, social media, crime prediction, and even artistic practice.