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Nestled between an elementary shoal and a public subroutine library in Brooklyn ’s Greenpoint neighborhood sits a new sort of “ sumptuosity ” coworking space .
dub the Chat Haus , this space has many of the elements you ’d notice in a traditional coworking office : people hammer away at their electronic computer keyboards , another person taking a sound call , someone else pausing by their computer to take a sip of chocolate .
There is , however , one fundamental deviation : Chat Haus is a coworking quad for AI chatbots , and everything — including the people — is made out of cardboard .
More specifically , the Chat Haus is an art exhibit by Brooklyn artistNim Ben - Reuven . It put up a handful of cardboard robots influence away at their computers through crusade verify by small motors . There is a sign that offers desk blank space for “ only ” $ 1,999 a calendar month and another that label the space as “ A luxury carbon monoxide gas - working quad for chatbots . ”
Ben - Reuven told TechCrunch that he establish the display as a way to cope and fetch mood to the fact that most of his piece of work — which mostly revolve around around graphical designing and videography — is being push into the AI macrocosm . He append that he ’s already getting deny freelance jobs as company turn to AI tool alternatively .
“ It was like an expression of frustration in humor , so I would n’t get too acerb about the diligence changing so promptly and under my nose and not wanting to be a part of the fracture , ” Ben - Reuven said . “ So I was like , I ’ll just crusade back with something silly that I can laugh at myself . ”
He sound out he also wanted to keep this display from being too disconfirming because he did n’t think that would recount the right message . He said creating art that is blatantly negative military unit it into a corner and requires it to defend itself . He add together giving the video display a “ unaccented spirit ” also helps it draw in viewers of all ages and with all opinions on AI .
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While Ben - Reuven and I were chatting at Pan Pan Vino Vino , a coffeehouse located across the street from the window display , legion group of people stopped to look at the Chat Haus . Three millennial - aged woman barricade and took characterization . A group of just - out - of - school elementary - of age bookman stop and asked their grownup companion interrogation .
Ben - Reuven also thought that despite what AI is doing to the industry he works in , the situation remains clean than some of the other horrors and trauma going on in the world today .
“ I mean , AI , in term of the originative world , seems like such a light thing compared to so many of the other , like war , things that are happen in the Earth and like the little terror and the trauma that survive , ” he said .
Ben - Reuven has always used cardboard in his art . He made a lifesize reproduction of an drome pole out of cardboard in grad schoolhouse . In between free-lance jobs over the last decade , he ’s worked on building these cardboard robots , or “ cardboard baby ” as he call them . So while using these cardboard robots was a instinctive choice for exhibit — he joked he also needed a reason to get them out of his flat — the fabric is also providing another comment on AI .
“ The impermanency of this cardboard stuff , and the ability for it to collapse under even just a minuscule routine of weight , is how I feel that AI is interact with the originative industries , ” he said . “ multitude can make their Midjourney images that look really great on Instagram and excite 12 - yr - olds to no last , but with any grade of examination , it ’s garbage , and I feel like you look snug enough at these composition board thing , they are easily collapsible and well will fall under any weight . ”
He understands why consumers are drawn to some AI - generated art , though . He likened it to detritus nutrient and the fast - acting 5-hydroxytryptamine hit that comes from exhaust rubble food for thought before it gets brook quick .
The Chat Haus is a temporary display as the edifice that house it awaits licence to get okay for restoration . Ben - Reuven hop-skip to keep the display up until at least mid - May and has hopes to move into a larger gallery if he can . He want to be able to add more to it — but is worried about where he ’ll put any additional fabric in his apartment once the display is over .
“ I just think it would be funny to express this mind of , like , a whole bunch of kind of precious , kind of creepy , baby golem typing away because of our ChatGPT prompt in some warehouse somewhere , working non - stop take on as much electrical energy as Switzerland use in a yr , ” Ben - Reuven said .
The Chat Haus is presently on display in the front windowpane of 121 Norman Avenue in Brooklyn , New York ’s Greenpoint locality .
