Confronting Your AI Reflection: Exploring the 'Neural Mirror' Art Installation

Explore Yourself Through Data: The Neural Mirror Installation by Ultravioletto

The Italian design studio Ultravioletto has introduced a striking installation known as the Neural Mirror, located in a historic church in Spoleto, Italy. At first glance, this may appear to be a simple mirror. However, after the system scans you, estimating your age, gender, and emotional state, it reveals a hauntingly digital representation of yourself—one that reflects how corporations perceive you as a collection of data points.

The installation employs innovative technology: an OLED panel coated to function as both a mirror and a display, complemented by a depth-sensing camera. This setup creates a surreal, Matrix-like doppelgänger of each visitor, overlaying unsettling data regarding ethnicity, facial geometry, and expressions. “The remarkable aspect is that these technologies are accessible to everyone,” stated Ultravioletto’s Bruno Capezzuoli in an interview with Dezeen.

The experience is striking. Initially, you see your true reflection; then, the system rapidly assembles a digital version of you. As you move, your artificial counterpart mimics your actions in real time, while the AI determines the style and colors based on captured data. To provide further insight, the generated data is displayed in JSON JavaScript code.

The Neural Mirror’s intent is clear—it provocatively illustrates how personal information can be utilized. “Artificial intelligence extracts our behaviors in a covert manner, converting them into assets for corporations. In this installation, the process is transparent; users can see what data we are collecting in real time,” Capezzuoli explained.

Unlike platforms like Facebook or Google, Neural Mirror openly communicates its purpose, utilizing personal data for artistic expression rather than commercial gain. Set within a former church, the installation encourages visitors to contemplate the implications of invasive technology in our modern lives. “For us, it represents raw knowledge—a celebration of data in its unrefined state, devoid of interpretation,” added Capezzuoli.