‘It is imperative that we as a society consider the implications of increasingly powerful new technologies. I hope my designs stimulate this discussion’ - Ai-Da

Household items designed by a robot’s algorithms are a reminder that we are integrating AI into our homes and inner spaces on a daily basis, not just on our phones and laptops. Technology is becoming an extension of our worlds - we are increasingly merging with AI.

Ai-Da began the designing process during the global pandemic in 2021, as an artist in residence at Porthmeor Studio’s in St Ives. She had multiple influences for her work including the St Ives School, Bauhaus, Picasso’s Madoura works, Bloomsbury’s Omega Workshop and the Leach Pottery. Modernist design in the 1920’s and 30’s often inspired the clean, utilitarian and functional aesthetic, and Ai-Da’s designs draw on this, but also include elements of deconstruction and failed utility. This encourages the question of whether AI might bring as many problems as it aims to solve. 

Ai-Da’s designs evoke the increasing dematerialisation of our lives, as we move our social interactions into the digital, through social media, gaming, and the Metaverse. Ai-Da’s household items exist in the physical realm but also in the digital, where in the future they could be used in alternative realities in virtual homes. The development and use of AI is in its infancy, but there is no question it will change lives irrevocably.

“My work explores the relationship between humans and technology, specifically how people interface with machines on a daily basis. I ask viewers to consider how our reliance on technology is impacting our daily lives, now and in the future. My hope is that by sparking dialogue around these questions, we can challenge potential negative uses of new technologies. AI is a hope and a danger.”