Lively artworks offering perspectives on the current use and future possibilities of artificial intelligence have premiered in two new Edinburgh exhibitions.
Mesmerising sculptures inspired by Arctic landscapes, spellbinding sculpture and video by acclaimed artist Rachel Maclean, and a satirical take on wearable AI devices are some of the insightful artworks responding to and offering solutions for pressing questions around the responsible use of AI.
Mind-bending works
In the first of the two exhibitions, mind-bending works from seven outstanding artists are currently on display at Tipping Point: Artist Responses to AI, an exhibition at the University’s Inspace Gallery from 7 to 31 August as part of the Edinburgh Art Festival and Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
The second show, Authenticity Unmasked: Unveiling AI-Driven Realities Through Art, ran from 7 – 17 August and showcased the work of three artists tackling how AI is reshaping perceptions of truth.
Eclectic exhibitions
A riff on classical musical performances, an insight into data and our skies, and storytelling by AI were some of the themes of the eclectic exhibition at the University’s Informatics Forum.
Seven exceptional UK-based artists were selected for Tipping Point after being awarded commissions through Bridging Responsible AI Divides (BRAID), a national research programme led by the University in partnership with the Ada Lovelace Institute and the BBC.
Comedic adverts
In Tipping Point, interdisciplinary artist Louise Ashcroft joined forces with comedians Ella Golt, John Luke Roberts, Frankie Thompson and Ben Target, AI researcher and curator Rebecca Edwards, and film maker Hannah Taylor for a series of comedic video adverts presenting spoof wearable AI devices – including a watch that redefines the concept of time.
Acclaimed artist Julie Freeman’s sculptures are inspired by the glacial topography of Svalbard, a group of islands in the Arctic Ocean. The work responds to the environmental impact of generative AI usage. The wooden sculptures, which release composed sonic soundscapes, create a tactile space for audiences to sit within.
AI devices
Three voice-enabled AI devices showcase Wesley Goatley’s commission. The critical artist and researcher invites audiences to explore three possible AI futures in the context of technology in health care, supply and demand of AI, and privacy.
Creative studio Identity 2.0, co-founded by Savena Surana and Arda Awais, reveal how zine-making creates a forum for developing ideas about the role of AI in daily lives and for recording collective memories. The artists will host a workshop and produce zines to be shared with local libraries.
Acclaimed artist Rachel Maclean, who represented Scotland at the Venice Biennale in 2017, presents the first work from a new body of AI-generated work spanning film, sculpture and digital paintings. The Edinburgh College of Art graduate, trained AI models on her back catalogue, creating a range of colourful characters to explore the tension between what AI is and what it feels like to interact with.
Participatory workshops
Visual artist and multimedia storyteller Kiki Shervington-White’s film exposes how AI technology can embed inequalities. Led by participatory workshops with working-class Black and ethnically diverse communities in Birmingham, the commission uses archival footage to reimagine image generation practices.
Studio Above & Below, an award-winning art and technology practice founded by Daria Jelonek and Perry-James Sugden, blends AI with the natural world. The eye-catching installation of four decorative stones sourced from the Scottish landscape addresses how we build systems that honour the past, serve the present, and safeguard the future.
The commissions that this talented cohort of artists have produced make for a vivid and thought-provoking exhibition. It’s a must-see show that will ignite new ideas and help audiences ponder the various challenges and opportunities presented by AI.
– Dr Beverley HoodEdinburgh College of Art, and the lead for Inspired Innovation for BRAID
Authenticity Unmasked: Unveiling AI-Driven Realities, featured new artworks by three artists for an exhibition that explore the increasing blurred lines between real and artificial information.
Scottish-based artist Georgia Gardner’s emotive films examine discipline and love in classical music in contrast with technological alternatives. The Edinburgh College of Art’s graduate presents six films which include familiar images of classical soloists alongside presentations composed using data from original performances, processed through machine listening.
Surveillance kites
Kinnari Saraiya, who featured in the British Pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 2019, explored how artificial intelligence, weather systems and mapping technologies shape our understanding of territory and power. The artist’s dramatic presentation used live atmospheric data from aerial surveillance kites.
London-based artist duo dmstfctn presented a series of short story telling characters generated by AI systems. The presentations incorporate an artistic take on some of the potential glitches in text to audio models to turn the language and logic of AI back on itself.
Authenticity Unmasked was developed in collaboration with Adobe and the Content Authenticity Initiative, an association working to promote open standards on the origin, history and lifecycle of digital content. The exhibition is part of CREA-TEC, a research project at the University of Edinburgh led by Dr Caterina Moruzzi.
The exhibition is a timely exploration of how people decide what to trust in the age of Artificial Intelligence. We hope it will prompt reflection and critical thinking on why authenticity matters as society looks to navigate factors such as viral deep fakes, AI-altered political videos and AI tools that can rewrite personal history.
– Dr Caterina MoruzziBRAiD Fellow of Edinburgh College of Art
The exhibitions address themes that reimagine AI uptake, inspire activism and resilience, and showcase artistic creativity in the field. These themes align with BRAID’s mission to build public awareness, break down structural barriers in AI, and consider responsible AI perspectives and practices.
– BRAID Co-director Professor Shannon VallorBaillie Gifford Chair in the Ethics of Data and Artificial Intelligence at Edinburgh Futures Institute
BRAID is funded by the UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and is dedicated to integrating arts and humanities research more fully into the Responsible AI ecosystem, as well as bridging the divides between academic, industry, policy and regulatory work on responsible AI.
Tipping Point is funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and delivered by BRAID in partnership with Inspace at the Institute for Design Informatics, with support from Better Images of AI and Edinburgh College of Art.
The exhibitions are part of the Edinburgh Art Festival, the UK’s largest annual celebration of visual art, and Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the World’s largest performance arts festival.
Exhibitions
Entry to Tipping Point: Artist Responses to AI is free and open from 7 to 31 August at 10:00 – 17:00 at Inspace, 1 Crichton St, Newington, Edinburgh EH8 9AB.
Authenticity Unmasked: Unveiling AI-Driven Realities Through Art ran from 7 to 17 August 2025 at G.07 Informatics Forum, University of Edinburgh.
Related links
Announcing new art and AI exhibitions programme by Bridging Responsible AI Divides (BRAID)
Image credit – Chris Scott
