Could this James Baldwin typewriter be an okay use of AI?

A new interactive exhibition in New York explores the writing of James Baldwin by featuring an AI-programmed typewriter. The installation, titled "For Those Who Come After" and part of the "KIN: A Festival of Memory and Imagination," is designed by Kinfolk Tech, a nonprofit using immersive technology and community-led design. Visitors sit at a physical station with a desk, typewriter, and three card stacks labeled Wisdom, Courage, and Love.

By asking a question, the AI points to three relevant cards and types a poetic reflection generated from Baldwin's archive. This poetic intervention aims to slow visitors down and reflect on the partnership between humans and machines. Founder Idris Brewster sees the project as a way to bring people closer to Baldwin's writing, despite concerns about the broader AI culture.

This exhibition comes at a time when AI is causing widespread concern, with tech companies and their leaders facing criticism for their role in the technology's unethical development and deployment. The AI panic has become mainstream, with tech leaders and boosters facing scrutiny over their actions. Nevertheless, this exhibition provides a quieter, more humanistic example of how machine learning and generative AI could be used, challenging the negative public perception of the technology.