The “Refracted Self” project examines human emotions in a time when people are interacting more with technology than with each other. The project involves four individuals with diverse backgrounds engaging in conversations with chatGPT (previously known as GPT-3). The project highlights that people crave genuine human connections, rather than interactions with artificial entities that attempt to mimic human behavior but fall short. Participants often expressed frustration, superiority, and anger, but the machine was unable to detect these emotions.

This highlights a fundamental flaw in current thinking — that machines are smarter than humans, yet they are unable to perform basic tasks. The project is depicted in a poetic film, showing the emergence of a human-like being from the chatGPT and its initial encounter with the world.

A work with:
Emanuel Bohnenblust

Research Assistance:
Lea Karabash & Shih-Hsuan Yen.