FINAL PROJECT PERFORMANCE INTERVENTION
Project Title: AI or HUMAN?
Project Description
My performance intervention project, AI or HUMAN?, explores how artificial intelligence blends into everyday information and how difficult it has become to distinguish real, verified facts from fabricated or misleading claims. I chose this topic because AI-generated content is now everywhere — in social media, news headlines, statistics, schoolwork, and personal conversations — yet many people trust information based on how convincing it sounds rather than whether it is accurate.
Instead of using a physical installation, I adapted the intervention into a tablet-based interactive experience, making it more accessible and flexible. Participants were shown a series of current-day social, political, and technological claims. Some statements were supported by real statistics and research, while others were completely fabricated but written to sound believable. Participants were asked to decide which statements they believed were real and which they believed were fake. Afterward, I revealed the answers and interviewed participants about their thought process, confidence level, and emotional reactions.
“Game board”
Message for the Audience
The main message of this project is that believability is not the same as truth. AI-generated language can sound confident, neutral, and factual even when it is wrong. My project encourages viewers to slow down, question statistics, and recognize how easily misinformation can be accepted when it is framed convincingly… or read a book.
The project also highlights how responsibility does not only lie with technology itself, but with how humans consume, share, and trust information. If people cannot reliably tell what is real, the ethical consequences affect education, politics, activism, and everyday decision-making.
Connection to Class Readings (Quotes)
Chapter 8: Ethics
“The Nazis understood that style matters.”
“They also understood style.” (Duncombe & Lambert, Chapter 8)
These quotes emphasize that presentation and aesthetics can be powerful tools of influence, even when the message itself is harmful or unethical. This idea directly connects to my project because AI-generated content often relies on polished language, confident tone, and professional formatting to gain trust. Participants frequently admitted they believed statements because they “sounded official,” which demonstrates how style can override critical thinking.
Chapter 9: Utopia
“A creative utopian project has the ability to transport people into a radically alternate universe.”
“If it is well constructed, utopia is something that attracts people. It is a place that people want to visit, live within, and help to create.” (Duncombe & Lambert, Chapter 9)
These quotes relate to how my intervention creates a temporary space where participants experience uncertainty and curiosity. For a brief moment, they enter a world where facts and fiction exist side by side. By participating, they help create that space and reflect on the kind of information environment they want to live in, one based on trust, accountability, and awareness rather than manipulation.
Audience Engagement & Feedback
The project was conducted outside of class using my tablet, allowing me to reach peers in informal settings. Participants actively engaged with the guessing process and were often surprised by how many statements they misidentified. Many expressed discomfort or embarrassment after learning which claims were fake, which led to deeper conversations about AI, media literacy, and trust.
Several participants mentioned that the experience made them realize how often they accept statistics without checking sources. This feedback confirmed that the intervention successfully encouraged reflection rather than simply delivering information.
Interview: https://youtu.be/P9OkQgP3bRk?feature=shared
Artistic Inspiration
Jenny Holzer — Inspired the text-based format and the use of short statements to provoke critical thinking in public or shared spaces.
Barbara Kruger — Influenced the direct, confrontational tone of the statements and the focus on power, truth, and media authority.
Suzanne Lacy — Her participatory performance work inspired the conversational, interview-based aspect of the project.
The Yes Men — Their use of believable misinformation to expose systems of power influenced my decision to include fake but realistic claims.
Professional Aspirations & Portfolio
This project connects to my interest in art, design, and social commentary. It reflects my ability to combine research, performance, audience interaction, and critical thinking into a single task. The project would fit well in my portfolio as an example of conceptual work that addresses contemporary issues through accessible design and participation
Research & Resources
- Duncombe, Steve & Lambert, Steve — The Art of Activism
- Pew Research Center — Public trust and misinformation studies
- Coded Bias (documentary)
- MIT Technology Review — AI and human-like language
- The Atlantic — Articles on misinformation and belief systems
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