A stage instead of an office: when out-of-the-box thinking shows the way

What role does art play in the age of AI?

Marie-Therese: Art is based on craftsmanship, on skills. Our expectation of AI is also that it can do a lot. And that it should recognise what it can’t do.

Sibylle: This raises the question of whether an AI has consciousness.

Marie-Therese: That’s right. I see AI assistants as tools, not as independent beings. The tools do provide a lot of material, of course. However, it should be up to people to decide what is and isn’t used.

Sibylle: Artistic processes come about through co-creation, and I think we can see the dialogue between people and machines in the same way. The question is whether art is actually only created in the eye of the beholder or – put another way – in the encounter with the beholder.

Marie-Therese: Absolutely. Theatre, for example, only happens through the interaction with the audience. AI tools can play a role. But meaning only comes about in the reception.

In terms of sucking up data, surely modern algorithms already do that really well?

Marie-Therese: Of course. But art should spark something and make people think. AI may be a good receptor, but it is a very uncritical audience. Whether in art or research, we want to think something that has never been thought before. This requires the courage to deviate from the norm. And AI is not courageous.

Why can’t AI be courageous?

Marie-Therese: Of course. But art should spark something and make people think. AI may be a good receptor, but it is a very uncritical audience. Whether in art or research, we want to think something that has never been thought before. This requires the courage to deviate from the norm. And AI is not courageous.

How should society deal with AI?

Marie-Therese: First of all, people need to know where AI is being used. That requires education for greater awareness.

Sibylle: True. We don’t even know which algorithms the various AI assistants are based on. There’s a lack of transparency.

Marie-Therese: Only when we have transparency can we make informed decisions.

What do people need to learn for the AI age?

Marie-Therese: As users of AI, we need to handle the tool with respect. For example, we’re not allowed to change statements. We need to involve the people affected. And as consumers, we need the ability to critically evaluate representations generated by AI. In other words, critical thinking is becoming increasingly important.

You’re both former actresses. Is your acting training still relevant for you today?

Sibylle: My skills as an actress form the basis for a great many things in my professional life. Through my acting, for example, I’ve learnt to think and act in completely different roles. I’ve learnt to respond to unfamiliar situations and to face my mistakes boldly. You need improvisation skills and a positive error culture in many demanding professional situations.

How do you learn the courage to face your mistakes?

Marie-Therese: In art, you’re working in a safe space under ideal conditions. In theatre, for example, the rehearsal room is supposed to be a safe place that lets people try things out. You could say that continuing education programmes such as the Summer School are rehearsal rooms for people from the world of work. Here they can try things out and take new insights back into their own realm of experience.

Sibylle: If we’re too busy in our everyday lives, we often lack a variety of perspectives. At the same time, we humans need space and time to be truly innovative. In this context, continuing education offers the necessary freedom, while methods from the arts can trigger new ways of looking at things. And collaborating with other people in interdisciplinary groups can be enormously helpful.