Re:Memory—Futures of Recall
Project currently in development by Anastasia Solodov + Ray Zhang
Project currently in development by Anastasia Solodov + Ray Zhang
In today's time defined by rapid (unpredictable) advancements in artificial intelligence and the simultaneous fragility of human consciousness, Re:Memory—Futures of Recall examines how memory—human and artificial—functions, evolves, and ultimately defines our reality. This installation is a speculative exploration of how humans and AI "remember" over time, revealing the intricate interplay of degradation, distortion, and precision in the ways we record and recall our experiences. By layering human memory and AI-generated reconstructions of the same architectonic spaces, the project transforms the ephemeral act of recollection into a tangible, immersive environment that visualizes the polarity between humanity and artificial systems.
The installation begins with two participants sharing their respective rooms over a FaceTime call, a gesture that brings the private into the public and transforms physical spaces into digital experiences. FaceTime is intentionally used to ensure that both humans and AI receive the visual input in the same digital format. By limiting the perception of the spaces to a screen, the project mirrors the way AI processes input, where information is flattened, framed, and inherently dependent on its clarity. This shared digital perspective highlights how both human memory and AI systems are shaped by the fidelity and limitations of the data they receive.
Human participants then write descriptions of the rooms 30 minutes, 1 day, 1 week, and 1 month after the call, capturing the natural decline of memory over time. AI, by contrast, generates textual descriptions and corresponding 3D models directly from uploaded room images. Through this comparison, it becomes evident that memory for a human is what data is to AI. Without the input of prompts, descriptions, or imagery provided by humans, AI cannot function. In the same way that a human relies on their sensory system to create and retain memories, AI relies entirely on external data to interpret, recall, and operate. Without memory, a human ceases to exist; without data, AI cannot function.
Contrary to a human, AI doesn’t "forget" or "reinterpret" unless programmed to do so. However, AI is equally prone to stagnation or “misinterpretation” if its inputs are incomplete or unclear. In this project, AI’s "degradation" is not true forgetting but rather a process of iterative summarization designed to draw parallels with human memory. This process mimics a drift in AI’s focus over time, where missing or reduced data inputs create distortions in its interpretations, revealing weaknesses inherent in the digital workflow.
Both sets of descriptions—human and AI—are translated into 3D models. The human memories reflect fading clarity, emotional associations, and distortions, while the AI’s reconstructions remain geometric and precise, though with increased distortions introduced through data limitations. These models are layered, creating a physical manifestation of the divergence and overlap between human and AI memory. In the final phase, the human and AI spaces are merged, blending organic distortions with digital ones, inviting viewers to reflect on the potential (and probable) future of shared memory and its implications.
Re:Memory—Futures of Recall offers a unique lens through which to examine the intersection of technology, nature, and humanity by exploring memory as both a deeply human and computational act. The project highlights the interdependence between humans and AI, showing that one cannot function without the other: AI requires humans to prompt and feed it with data, while humans increasingly rely on AI to archive, interpret, and expand their own memories. Rather than presenting this as a critique or warning, the project emphasizes the symbiotic relationship between the two, proposing a speculative future where human and artificial memory evolve in tandem, potentially merging into a shared, collective consciousness.
As we stand on the threshold of an era where AI systems are not just tools but collaborators and chroniclers, Re:Memory—Futures of Recall provides a critical framework for questioning the boundaries between technology and humanity. In a world where AI has the potential to become a mirror, an archivist, or even a partner in shared consciousness, this project reflects on the value of imperfection, emotion, and subjectivity in shaping our collective futures. By inviting viewers to engage with both the precision of AI and the fragility of human memory, the installation acts as both a celebration and a provocation—a call to reflect on what it means to "remember" in an age of intelligent machines.