Digitalization and AI

In November 2024, DE/MO foundation 
launched ECHO with the Campaign Design 
Sprint in Amsterdam, where participants 
explored the implications of digitization 
and AI on creativity, democracy 
and human connection.


The Echo Events


1. Future Beyond Imaginaries



10 January, 2025 @ Nxt Lab, Amsterdam
Adil Boughlala, Ioanna Chasikou, Bas Jansen,
Caitlin van Bommel, Elena Zaghis Parpinello

The ECHO Event centered on the theme 
of AI and Speculative Futures, using the five thematic pillars—Ecology, Culture, Regulation, Connection, and Knowledge—to structure an exploration of how artificial intelligence might reshape different dimensions of human 
experience. The campaign aimed to challenge reductive narratives around AI and inspire the audience to imagine nuanced and alternative futures shaped by its influence.

The event was structured as an engaging exploration of speculative design artifacts, in the form of an exhibit and a thought-provoking guest speaker. A special highlight was the guest lecture by Rasa Bocyte (Sound & Vision - Research & Heritage, Hilversum), who provided fascinating perspectives on using heritage and culture 
to critically examine AI, adding depth to the discussions sparked by our exhibition.

Visitors are invited to envision their own future scenarios where AI has (re)shaped the world 
after seeing the exhibition. Through contributions 
to a collaborative pinboard, they can add their voices to this evolving conversation about our collective destiny. The event was a success 
with a lot of interesting conversations and input 
on the pinboard.


2. #UseYourBrain - AI Thought Saloon


21 January, 2025 @ Royal Academy of Art, The Hague (KABK)
Ilja Kolosovs, Joyce den Hertog, Maarten Both, Praya Aisyah & Puck Wagemaker

Our event, the #UseYourBrain AI Thought Saloon explored the question: "Is convenience the price 
we pay for losing critical thinking?” The event aimed to inspire the audience to think more critically about AI and use it more intentionally. 
The focus was on bridging the gap between two groups: AI enthusiasts, who see the technology 
as flawless and use it for almost everything in their daily lives, and AI sceptics, who are reluctant 
to use AI. Our goal was to encourage balanced critical thinking about AI - to encourage users to carefully evaluate AI results and develop 
a nuanced mindset when interacting with AI.

We kicked off the event by sharing more about 
us and our online campaign, in particular 
the ideation process, and listing the things 
we think you should be critical about.

The keynote speaker at our event was Emma Beauxis-Aussalet, Professor of Ethical AI at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Emma took the audience through a list of critical checkpoints when 
engaging with AI, offering new perspectives. 
She challenged the audience to think about the wider implications of the convenience-driven adoption of AI, highlighting blind spots 
in our collective understanding.

Following Emma's insights, we hosted an open discussion between the audience and a team 
of panellists, which provided a good debate.


3. This Event was AI Generated




21 January, 2025 @ Royal Academy of Art, The Hague (KABK)
Ilja Kolosovs, Joyce den Hertog, Maarten Both, Praya Aisyah & Puck Wagemaker

Our campaign focused on the impact 
of AI on the arts and specifically on the ways in which AI is presented as capable of replicating, 
and eventually replacing, human creativity. 
We believe that the generative capabilities 
of AI are used as an excuse to keep defunding 
the cultural sector. For this reason, our campaign worked on two levels. First, we issued a call (represented by an online petition) for stopping 
the defunding of culture in the Netherlands and asked people to stand by the side of creative professionals. Second, we organized the event 
at Cinetol to give the audience an experience 
of how the generic replications that AI-generated art is comprised of lack a fundamental emotional core inherent in live human-to-human artistic exchange. 

Our campaign was targeted to a younger 
audience (20-35 years old) that can already 
witness the incorporation of AI in their favourite 
art genres and imagine a future when this is the norm. For this reason, we chose to center the 
event around two performances by young artists, musician Lilo Milova and spoken-word poet Razeen. The artists started each of their performances by interpreting a song/poem 
created with AI, with the specific prompt of producing a work in the style of the artists themselves. The artists performed this piece 
and then moved on to their actual performances, letting the audience feel for themselves and form their own thoughts on how they connected with what they encountered. After each performance, the host of the evening, which was a member 
of our team, did a short interview with the artists 
on how they perceived this piece that was supposed to mimic their work and how they felt when having to perform it.