If AI Dreams... 'New Art' Felt Through All Five Senses (Media Artist Refik Anadol)

World-renowned media artist Refik Anadol emphasized that while artificial intelligence (AI) is opening up new possibilities for art, the driving force of creation must remain with humans.

Participating via video link from Los Angeles, U.S., at the SBS Digital Forum (SDF) 2026 held at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in Seoul today (November 5), Anadol introduced the future of art shaped by the collaboration between AI and humans.

In an interview with SBS, Anadol said, "AI can create anything, but I believe that the driving force of creativity—the 'thinking brush'—must still remain in human hands."

He added, "What distinguishes humans from machines are emotions, spirituality, belief, and the understanding and memory of life," stressing that "we must still remain at the center of creativity."

Anadol stated that he does not think AI will take away human creativity, explaining that the future depends on collaboration between humans and machines.

When asked about his works utilizing nature data, he replied, "Nature is the most important thing to us and our greatest source of inspiration," adding, "By utilizing AI, we can understand and protect nature more deeply."

He then said, "Someday, we might be able to talk to trees or flowers and learn a new language we never knew existed."

Anadol explained that his self-developed AI model, the "Large Nature Model," was trained on vast amounts of data, including images, sounds, and text from nature.

In particular, he shared that he obtained permission from relevant organizations during the data collection process and trained the AI model using renewable energy.

Anadol emphasized, "Nature belongs to everyone," stressing that it is important to develop AI technology through ethically collected data and sustainable energy.

He also introduced his working principle that artists should directly collect data and train AI models.

Recalling his visit to the Amazon rainforest in Brazil five years ago and his interactions with the indigenous Yawanawa people, he explained that understanding nature requires not only advanced technology but also the indigenous wisdom accumulated over a long time.

Regarding Dataland, an AI art museum recently opened in Los Angeles, U.S., he introduced it as a new type of museum where audiences and works of art interact with each other.

"For the past 5,000 years, humans have felt something while looking at works of art," Anadol said. "Now, we are asking the question: Can works of art also feel human emotions?"

He explained that at Dataland, biometric information such as heart rate and skin temperature is collected through devices worn by the audience and reflected in the artworks in real time.

Emphasizing that it provides experiences combining not only sight and sound but also scents and tastes, he noted that art responding to audience emotions can forge a new relationship between humans and technology.

"We are in an era of a new Renaissance," Anadol evaluated, "an era where we can create new art, ideas, dreams, and visions."

He expressed his hope that "art can become a remedy and heal the world," adding that art utilizing technology should be open to everyone.

Anadol plans to showcase a new exhibition at Centre Pompidou Hanwha in Seoul this coming December.

※ More details are available in the video.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.