Based respectively in Copenhagen
and San Francisco, interaction
designers YUXI LIU and JING YU are
interested in experiential futures
and a combination of technology
and human beings – two reasons for
their inclusion in ‘The Challenge’.
defines the skin that AI inhabits. Imagine
a large theatre in which The Other Actor
embodies the entire screen, or an outdoor
space filled with a fleet of drones.Can you explain more about The Other
Actor’s never-ending nature? YL: A script,
set and story arc are traditionally estab-
lished before a show is produced, whereas
The Other Actor is a show undone. The
story is written with the understanding that
the performance will continue to evolve
once it’s out in the world and comes into
contact with its context. – TI
slowstudios.designshow but as a new paradigm, thus its visual
manifestation has many potential outputs.
One example could be an event in which
a panoramic screen displays generative
visuals together with sounds based on the
performer’s improvised movements and the
audience’s reactions, which are captured by
embedded cameras and sensors. What the
viewer experiences is therefore a multi-
sensory conversation involving performer,
audience and AI.Does the environment impact the experi-
ence? YL: The Other Actor is highly impro-
vised, so the environment has a direct impact
on the performer’s interaction and the audi-
ence’s perception. AI captures this informa-
tion – along with environmental data – and
generates content accordingly. The space alsoTHE CHALLENGE 4141