Better Images of AI (2021)

Better Images of AI is a non-profit project that commissions artists to provide free stock images that avoid perpetuating unhelpful myths about artificial intelligence. Much of my artwork leans into pedagogical technique, and it was a pleasure to work with others who also prioritise public engagement, accessibility and legibility. The images I produced all use a consistent visual metaphor of refraction to communicate a mediatory effect that plays between clarity and obfuscation. Learn more about the project at betterimagesofai.org and feel free to use any of the images you find (with CC attribution, of course) .

A photographic rendering of a smiling face emoji seen through a refractive glass grid, overlaid with a diagram of a neural network.

Image by Alan Warburton / © BBC / Better Images of AI / Social Media / CC-BY 4.0

Image by Alan Warburton / © BBC / Better Images of AI / Virtual Human / CC-BY 4.0

A photographic rendering of a young black man standing in front of a cloudy blue sky, seen through a refractive glass grid and overlaid with a diagram of a neural network.

Image by Alan Warburton / © BBC / Better Images of AI / Quantified Human / CC-BY 4.0

A photographic rendering of medical swabs and pills in a jar seen through a refractive glass grid, overlaid with a diagram of a neural network.

Image by Alan Warburton / © BBC / Better Images of AI / Medicine / CC-BY 4.0

A photographic rendering of a young houseplant against a neutral background, seen through a refractive glass grid and overlaid with an single neuron from a neural network diagram.

Image by Alan Warburton / © BBC / Better Images of AI / Plant / CC-BY 4.0