Utopian or Dystopian?: Using a ML-Assisted image generation game to empower the general public to envision the future

Janet Rafner; Steven Langsford; Lotte Philipsen; Sebastian Risi; Arthur Hjorth; Joel Simon; Miroslav Gajdacz; Jacob Sherson

doi:10.1145/3450741.3466815

Utopian or Dystopian?: Using a ML-Assisted image generation game to empower the general public to envision the future

Janet Rafner
, Steven Langsford
, Lotte Philipsen
, Sebastian Risi
, Arthur Hjorth
, Joel Simon
, Miroslav Gajdacz
, Jacob Sherson

Aarhus University

Research output: Conference Article in Proceeding or Book/Report chapter › Article in proceedings › Research › peer-review

Abstract

The rise of digital technologies and Machine Learning (ML)-Tools for creative expression brings about novel opportunities for studying creativity and cognition at scale. In this paper, we present a pilot study of crea.blender SDG-an online GAN based image generation game. We designed crea.blender SDG with two goals in mind: The first, to let people create images relating to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and through them, engage in large-scale conversations on complex socioscientific problems. The second, as a fun and inspiring gateway for public participation in research, generating data for the creativity and cognition research and design community. Specifically in this pilot, we study and affirm that the design of crea.blender SDG is flexible enough to allow users to create images that express both anxiety and hope for the future; affirm that user generated images express these ideas in ways that are meaningful to people other than the original creator; and begin to investigate which specific features of images are more closely related to dystopian or utopian ideas of the future. Finally, we discuss implications for future design and research with ML-based creativity tools.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Creativity and cognition (C&C '21)
Place of Publication	United States
Publisher	Association for Computing Machinery
Publication date	1 Jun 2021
ISBN (Print)	9781450383769
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1145/3450741.3466815
Publication status	Published - 1 Jun 2021
Event	Conference on Creativity and Cognition - VIRTUAL Duration: 22 Jun 2021 → 23 Jun 2021 Conference number: 13 https://cc.acm.org/2021/

Conference

Conference	Conference on Creativity and Cognition
Number	13
City	VIRTUAL
Period	22/06/2021 → 23/06/2021
Internet address	https://cc.acm.org/2021/

Series	ACM International Conference Proceeding Series

Keywords

Digital Technologies
Machine Learning Tools
Creative Expression
Sustainable Development Goals
GAN-based Image Generation
Creativity and Cognition
Public Participation in Research
Socioscientific Problems
User-Generated Content
Dystopian and Utopian Imagery

Access to Document

10.1145/3450741.3466815

cc_rafner2021Final published version, 2.17 MB

Cite this

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title = "Utopian or Dystopian?: Using a ML-Assisted image generation game to empower the general public to envision the future",

abstract = "The rise of digital technologies and Machine Learning (ML)-Tools for creative expression brings about novel opportunities for studying creativity and cognition at scale. In this paper, we present a pilot study of crea.blender SDG-an online GAN based image generation game. We designed crea.blender SDG with two goals in mind: The first, to let people create images relating to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and through them, engage in large-scale conversations on complex socioscientific problems. The second, as a fun and inspiring gateway for public participation in research, generating data for the creativity and cognition research and design community. Specifically in this pilot, we study and affirm that the design of crea.blender SDG is flexible enough to allow users to create images that express both anxiety and hope for the future; affirm that user generated images express these ideas in ways that are meaningful to people other than the original creator; and begin to investigate which specific features of images are more closely related to dystopian or utopian ideas of the future. Finally, we discuss implications for future design and research with ML-based creativity tools.",

keywords = "Digital Technologies, Machine Learning Tools, Creative Expression, Sustainable Development Goals, GAN-based Image Generation, Creativity and Cognition, Public Participation in Research, Socioscientific Problems, User-Generated Content, Dystopian and Utopian Imagery, Digital Technologies, Machine Learning Tools, Creative Expression, Sustainable Development Goals, GAN-based Image Generation, Creativity and Cognition, Public Participation in Research, Socioscientific Problems, User-Generated Content, Dystopian and Utopian Imagery",

author = "Janet Rafner and Steven Langsford and Lotte Philipsen and Sebastian Risi and Arthur Hjorth and Joel Simon and Miroslav Gajdacz and Jacob Sherson",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 ACM.; 13th Conference on Creativity and Cognition, C\&C '21 ; Conference date: 22-06-2021 Through 23-06-2021 Doesn't seem to count as OA? (jcg: 14/02/2022) ; Conference on Creativity and Cognition, C\&C ; Conference date: 22-06-2021 Through 23-06-2021",

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month = jun,

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doi = "10.1145/3450741.3466815",

language = "English",

isbn = "9781450383769",

series = "ACM International Conference Proceeding Series",

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Rafner, J, Langsford, S, Philipsen, L, Risi, S, Hjorth, A, Simon, J, Gajdacz, M & Sherson, J 2021, Utopian or Dystopian?: Using a ML-Assisted image generation game to empower the general public to envision the future. in Creativity and cognition (C&C '21). Association for Computing Machinery, United States, ACM International Conference Proceeding Series, Conference on Creativity and Cognition, VIRTUAL, 22/06/2021. https://doi.org/10.1145/3450741.3466815

Utopian or Dystopian?: Using a ML-Assisted image generation game to empower the general public to envision the future. / Rafner, Janet; Langsford, Steven; Philipsen, Lotte et al.
Creativity and cognition (C&C '21). United States: Association for Computing Machinery, 2021. (ACM International Conference Proceeding Series).

Research output: Conference Article in Proceeding or Book/Report chapter › Article in proceedings › Research › peer-review

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AU - Simon, Joel

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KW - Machine Learning Tools

KW - Creative Expression

KW - Sustainable Development Goals

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ER -

Utopian or Dystopian?: Using a ML-Assisted image generation game to empower the general public to envision the future

Abstract

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Keywords

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