On the Brock (2022) reading, a quote that stood out to me was: “external users feel more strongly that anything that allows expanded access to the collection has value”. And from the Styx (2021) reading, I think the general sentiment expressed of paralleling AI to the Internet and that to be left behind (i.e. not integrating and using AI) would be like not using digital media or leveraging huge potential. These ideas come together in the conflict and tension that we’ve already been exploring in class: how do you keep up / utilize AI in a way that’s meaningful and impactful (along the lines of expanding access (Brock, 2022)) while not falling behind (Styx, 2021)?

It’s interesting to note that both these articles are from prior years, before ChatGPT and the seeming boom of AI and generative technologies; even the other two articles, one from Jan 2022 and one from March 2023, almost seem out of date; for myself at least, my Twitter feed and so much media that’s around is harping on how new AI tools are being released every single day and don’t fall behind and make sure you’re maximizing your potential.

With this kind of fervor – and always keeping in mind I/we may be in an echo chamber and we may still be very early in the hype cycle – how can you show visitors what you want to show, engage them in the ways that you want, and keep up? The MSU (2023) blog post written in March 2023 was centered around inviting people to use the AI to create generative art and then the art would be shared by being displayed in and around the museum. I wonder if this is creating the conversation piece that’s desired?

Something interesting could be, since it feels like everyone has something they may want to say / do with the AI, leveraging the museum as an innovative space: granting access to the technologies and then opening up room for discussion and conversation, turning the museum into a social setting for collaboration and conversation. Science is always evolving, right now we may be at a nascent period or a rapidly changing period so right now it feels like we’re in a storm, do we wait for it to calm down or do we do what we can in this moment?