The Narratology of Prompts: AI as Concrete Prose
Submission Type
Paper
Start Date/Time (EDT)
21-7-2024 2:15 PM
End Date/Time (EDT)
21-7-2024 3:15 PM
Location
Algorithms & Imaginaries
Abstract
The Narratology of Prompts: AI as Concrete Prose
Patrick Lichty, Winona State University
It has been barely one year since the revolution of Large Language Models arrived, and the AI-based image has outstripped photography on the Internet as of January 2024. There is anxiety about the “new image,” but what is it? The author contends that AI imaging is not “art” but a form of concrete prose or prose imagined by the semantic engine of an LLM -based imaging engine. Prompt-based machine learning imaging is not a new era of Art making but a new convergence of writing and code to create concretized images as a form, of Electronic Literature. But AI-based imaging also hides, as the practice of Steganography conceals one set of data within another, which is precisely the case with clip-based machine learning art. This is evident in Midjourney AI’s /describe feature, which allows the prompt of an image to be reverse-extracted from its resulting file.
What does this musing about machine learning art, narrative, Kitsch, and the concept of the disappearance of human subjectivity in the age of AI represent? Post-human discourse ultimately represents the elimination of the human body. Is the use of AI-based imaging a further abstraction from the gestures of narratology that connects human beings to communicate imagination? Does AI become a filtered, translated version of that experience as seen through the translation sets of AI? This discussion will focus on the author’s ongoing study of virtual narratology, concretism, and the formal considerations of the translation of forms.
Recommended Citation
Lichty, Patrick, "The Narratology of Prompts: AI as Concrete Prose" (2024). ELO (un)linked 2024. 20.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/elo2024/algorithmsandimaginaries/schedule/20
The Narratology of Prompts: AI as Concrete Prose
Algorithms & Imaginaries
The Narratology of Prompts: AI as Concrete Prose
Patrick Lichty, Winona State University
It has been barely one year since the revolution of Large Language Models arrived, and the AI-based image has outstripped photography on the Internet as of January 2024. There is anxiety about the “new image,” but what is it? The author contends that AI imaging is not “art” but a form of concrete prose or prose imagined by the semantic engine of an LLM -based imaging engine. Prompt-based machine learning imaging is not a new era of Art making but a new convergence of writing and code to create concretized images as a form, of Electronic Literature. But AI-based imaging also hides, as the practice of Steganography conceals one set of data within another, which is precisely the case with clip-based machine learning art. This is evident in Midjourney AI’s /describe feature, which allows the prompt of an image to be reverse-extracted from its resulting file.
What does this musing about machine learning art, narrative, Kitsch, and the concept of the disappearance of human subjectivity in the age of AI represent? Post-human discourse ultimately represents the elimination of the human body. Is the use of AI-based imaging a further abstraction from the gestures of narratology that connects human beings to communicate imagination? Does AI become a filtered, translated version of that experience as seen through the translation sets of AI? This discussion will focus on the author’s ongoing study of virtual narratology, concretism, and the formal considerations of the translation of forms.
Bio
Patrick Lichty is a multifaceted artist known for his work in various media. Born in Akron, Ohio, in 1962, Lichty's upbringing was immersed in art, and science fiction. His career spans over three decades, during which he has established himself as a media artist, writer, curator, designer, and educator.
Lichty's artistic practice primarily focuses on exploring the impact of media on society and individual perception. He has a particular interest in augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), artificial intelligence (AI), and non-fungible tokens (NFTs). His work critically examines how media culture shapes human perceptions of reality, particularly at the intersection of the virtual and physical worlds.
He is especially recognized for his contributions as a principal member of the virtual reality performance art group Second Front and as the animator for the activist group The Yes Men. His diverse skills in digital intermedia include proficiency in printmaking, kinetics, video production, generative music, and neon art. Additionally, Lichty's role as a media "reality" artist and theorist reflects his deep engagement with how media and mediation influence our understanding of the environment.
Apart from his artistic endeavors, Lichty has also made significant contributions as an educator and holds a position at Winona State University. His accolades include being a CalArts/Herb Alpert Fellow and an exhibitor at the Whitney Biennial.