Sysco’s AI Challenge at Outernet London

Sysco Productions and Outernet demonstrate the potential of generative AI for the creation of immersive experiences. This project is the outcome of a unique partnership with University College London and Goldsmiths, University of London.

Completed: 2023

Partners: Outernet London | Goldsmiths, University of London | University College London

Sysco’s AI Challenge at Outernet London

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Sysco Productions, in partnership with Outernet, have challenged students and alumni from Goldsmiths’ Computational Arts and UCL’s Digital Media masters courses to produce short digital immersive experiences in a week, using a wide range of generative AI platforms and Sysco’s unique Audio Visual Simulation Technology, which created an exact digital twin of Outernet’s Now Trending space.

This has led to the creation of 7 bold new works, which were showcased at Outernet on the 5th September, followed by an expert panel discussion on the implications of this experiment for the future of the immersive experience industry, hosted by Chris Michaels.

Watch Behind-The-Scenes Video here

Next: The Technology

False Witness by Flo Yuting Zhu

Wildlife trail cam, true crime footage, AI forgery and a brewing thunderstorm scripts a horror montage. The off-screen presence of the ‘witnesses’ and their complicity are invoked by a fluid drifting of content between surveillance, documentary, and fiction. What makes evidence? What accounts for truth? Most importantly – what are you looking at?

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About Flo Yuting Zhu

Evolution Express by Ziyi Kang & Keyu Ye

Evolution Express is an AI-assisted artwork visualizing the past, present, and future. The artwork covers a range of topics from the Big Bang, cell division, celestial movement, and transformation of all kinds. This immersive journey challenges viewers' perceptions of time, space, and self-awareness, leaving them with an unforgettable artistic experience.

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About Ziyi Kang & Keyu Ye

Fragmented Echoes of Time by Camila Colussi

The artwork reflects on the rapid rise of generative AI content towards a fragmented experience of time. The possibility of immediate results compresses time and skips the process, the journey, and the becoming. However, standing in front of a landscape is usually described as a lingering timeless experience, where its beauty and magnificence makes you stop and contemplate.

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About Camila Colussi

Hidden Information by Songqi Sun

"Hidden Information" blends the complexities of information overload into a symphony of music and visuals. Encrypted messages symbolizing the deluge of data in our digital age initiates a melodic journey, while AI techniques infuse harmonious chords. Dynamic visuals mirror the emotional cadence, creating a vivid exploration of the information landscape.

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About Songqi Sun

From my Rib: The Amazon - The Next Genesis by Maria Gracia Cebrecos

In the digital realm of Cybersphere, Gracia, an AI filled with grace, though not very advanced and with a humanoid touch, created a virtual Eden, mirroring one of Earth's most beautiful places: The Amazon Rainforest. This is now the Amazon, right now right here, the other one doesn’t exist.

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About Maria Gracia Cebrecos

Encased Mirage by Zhongkai Wang

The "Encased Mirage" project stands as a testament to the intersection of digital art and environmental aesthetics, rendering a meticulously detailed rainforest ecosystem contained within a glass box set within an artiﬁcially darkened room. Using AIGC, PCG and UE5, this project encapsulates the convergence of sophisticated technology and nuanced artistic interpretation.

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About Zhongkai Wang

Beyond the Glass by DNA Studio

In a dystopian future, a courageous young woman embarks on a journey that unfolds as she shatters the glass, forging a path of empowerment for herself and inspiring others. The video-art portrays the difficult reality women face in their quest for senior positions and acknowledgement, reflecting on the future of women in the workplace.

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About DNA Studio

Next: Methodology

The Artists

Sysco's AV Simulator

Outernet London

Panel Discussion

This panel was a chance for an industry audience to hear about these new work methods from the creators who’ve made these fantastic art pieces, and for them to discuss the creative approaches that they’ve learnt from being involved in this project, to reflect on the different tools they used and how AI began to influence and change their way of working.

Full Panel Discussion here

Next: Testimonials

Outernet London is the name of a new type of entertainment district that opened in 2022 in the West End of London. It is the largest digital exhibition space in Europe with the "world's largest LED screen deployment".

Sysco’s unique Audio Visual Simulation Technology, which created an exact digital twin of Outernet’s Now Trending space.

Watch full Simulation Fly-Through here

Students and alumni from Goldsmiths’ Computational Arts and UCL’s Digital Media masters courses to produce short digital immersive experiences in a week, using a wide range of generative AI platforms and Sysco’s AV Simulator.

Maria Gracia Cebrecos

Zhongkai Wang

DNA Studio

Generative AI & Creativity

Generative AI looks like it might be the technology that reshapes EVERYTHING. The Sysco Creative AI Challenge has been an amazing chance to find out what this means for artists and creators and for the wider immersive experiences sector.

Outernet London

Outernet is one of the world’s most advanced platforms for storytelling, combining traditional media and emerging technology, allowing our artists, brands and partners to execute their creative vision on a scale like never before. We’re passionate about creating immersive digital experiences and are proud to partner with Sysco, UCL and Goldsmiths University to provide our innovative platform to this next generation of creatives.

Sysco's AI Challenge

We’re witnessing an inflection point in many industries with the emergence of Generative AI. This experiment tested how AI might change the creation of immersive experiences. With Sysco’s long history of harnessing the power of technology to enable engaging spatial storytelling, this felt like something we absolutely had to explore. We’ve seen a huge insight into the future of creativity in this project, unpicking many new ways in which artists and creators can integrate AI into their ways of working. I’ve been blown away by the creativity of the artists we have worked with and how they have augmented their very human artistic processes with the use of generative AI in such a short space of time. We can’t wait to show their work in the wonderful Now Trending immersive space at Outernet.

UCL's MA Digital Media: Production

The MA Digital Media: Production course at UCL operates in a specific space which combines creative practices and critical perspectives on digital media. We are deeply interested in the future of media production, and taking part in this project is an excellent opportunity to see how immersive experiences are being shaped using novel creative practices today; through current and rapidly emerging technologies. We are looking forward to seeing how our students will leverage the potential of Sysco’s simulator, and the support of experts, to unleash their creative potential in immersive storytelling - contributing to future developments in this field.

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