Futur Mechs was inspired by today’s rising concerns and comments about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the way it has seeped through our daily life. The piece illustrates a futuristic world where humans are powering AI machines, revealing humans as a key source of input for future machines – Futur Mechs. 

Lian challenges AI art generators by creating her own series of “AI generated” art, mimicking the AI style of bright and unusual. From the foundation of these five illustrations, Futur Mechs delves further as a critique on the boundaries between human and AI technologies, questioning where to draw the line as to what is human and what is AI. 

The creation process of “AI generated” art was challenging when Lian lacked a database of images in her head to create pieces of work within a matter of minutes. Despite her attempt to reference AI art styles, the comparison might be easy to tell. Through her work process, Lian avoids tools such as ChatGPT and Dall-E and instead uses applications like Procreate, Premiere Pro, and After Effects to challenge her creative abilities without the aid of AI. The work demonstrates the possibility of making art without using AI text generators in one’s art making process. 

Lian’s work illustrates that AI is just an optional tool available to be used. After viewing Futur Mechs, she invites you to think more critically the next time you come across AI tools: 

• When we talk to ChatGPT or Dall-E or any other AI tool, why do we see it as a person more than a software – thinking it would invade our work and personal life? 

• What about AI is so uncanny that people reject, resist, and refrain from using this tool in their daily life? 

• The individuality of self we see in AI has changed the story, turning a series of zeros and ones into a threat for many. But is it really? 

Lian’s personal favorites are Chinese music from her home country. Nonetheless, the current media like YouTube has exposed her to a wide range including Japanese to Thai music. With experimentation, Lian challenges the way she views music videos to understand how music video trends have progressed and shifted to suit today’s popular media and audience. 

Building a timeline of music video transformations all the way from 1984 to 2023, Lian witness the way how music video styles have progressed, culturally and socially. Beyond the cuts and edits, we can learn so much. Even from a snippet of music video cuts focused on only songs Lian knows, Lian encourages you to think critically about the way music videos are shown in general. Think back to your own list of music playlist and consider their music video trends. There is no doubt that the shift in media, fashion, culture, style, and aesthetics can greatly impact and influence the way media entertainments like music videos are portrayed and presented today.