Proof of Personhood: Identity and Authenticity in the Face of Artificial Intelligence

What does it mean to be human in the face of new technology?

Go on a mind-bending exploration where identity and authenticity are challenged, redefined, and pushed to their limits.

Proof of Personhood: Identity and Authenticity in the Face of Artificial Intelligence explores the unstable relationship between identity, agency and authenticity in popular culture and emerging technology.

Art is assumed to be a fundamentally human undertaking, but with the introduction of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools, this assumption is being questioned. As humans, we tend to project our own image, physiology and psychology onto technological systems in an attempt to better understand them, a process which often reproduces societal biases. The featured artworks expand the genre of portraiture, depicting human and non-human subjects to investigate the nature of personhood in the 21st century. In the process, they highlight the shifting conception of who—or what—is considered human.

In an era dominated by social media and digital tools for self-presentation, authenticity is a valuable commodity. As the same techniques for performing an authentic personality are employed by celebrities, everyday social media users and bots, Proof of Personhood asks: What does it mean to be “real”?

Date: 22 Sep 2023 to 25 February 2024

Time: 10am – 7pm

Venue: Level 3, Gallery 3, SAM at Tanjong Pagar Distripark