AI in the limelight: Prof. Dr. Nina Tecklenburg premieres Chatbot Challenge at Hebbel am Ufer

This October, Prof. Dr. Nina Tecklenburg and her performance group Interrobang will showcase their new piece Chatbot Challenge at Hebbel am Ufer (HAU). Happening in both English and German as part of the Spy on Me #5 festival, the piece explores the intersection of Artificial Intelligence and the arts, examining how AI can disrupt and redefine traditional theatrical boundaries.

In Chatbot Challenge, two performers and a creative coder will share the stage with chatbots and AI systems. The production’s description puts forth two central questions: How much theatrical potential does AI have? And how much AI theater have humans already internalized? By blurring the line between human and machine-generated performance, the piece casts AI in the unusual role of controlling the foundational elements of theater—video, sound, stage, lighting, the bodies of performers, and the reactions of the audience.

Interrobang’s Chatbot Challenge takes an exemplary approach to the questions and challenges facing society in the age of AI, delving into “the ethical divides and production conditions behind the illusions of AI.”

The piece will premiere in German on October 10, with additional German-language performances on October 11 and 13. For English-speaking audiences, a special performance will take place on October 12 at 7 pm.

Beyond the performance, Tecklenburg and her fellow artists will also participate in a panel discussion titled Enter: AI on October 11 at HAU. This conversation will explore the sociopolitical impacts of AI in the arts and beyond.

For tickets and more information about the show and discussion, visit HAU.

Post Date: 10-07-2024