CHIMERA: Pioneering the Archaeology of AI

CHIMERA is a pioneering project that began in 2018, exploring the intersection of art and artificial intelligence. By leveraging machine learning, the artist connected images of monkeys and humans to create a novel hybrid form.

The project utilized a custom-built database and machine learning model to establish connections between these two distinct entities. The database comprised an equal number of online-sourced photos for both species. Through this, the AI system generated a neural network that produced a hybridized visual interpretation of the two forms.

CHIMERA challenges the conventional use of rudimentary AI, employing it in a way it wasn’t originally designed for, to reveal the creative process rather than aiming for technical precision.

The inspiration for this human-monkey hybrid concept came from a 2021 research paper published in Cell magazine, which documented the creation of an embryo containing both human and monkey DNA. The paper ignited significant debate within the scientific community regarding the ethical implications of such experiments.