The Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI), a museum of screen culture located in Fed Square, Melbourne is preparing to host its first-ever live ‘AI Prompt Battle’ this Friday. This innovative event challenges contestants to generate the most creative and striking AI artwork via text prompts.
The brainchild for the technologically creative event came from Sebastian Schmieg, a Berlin-based artist, and interface design professor. He was inspired by aggressive exchanges of AI-generated images he saw on Twitter, which led him to conceptualize a fun collective experience based on the same premise.
Schmieg and his team have organized 30 AI Prompt Battles across Europe in the last two years, following the successful introduction of popular AI art generator DALL-E in April 2022.
The process of the battle is such that each contestant has to deliver a text prompt within 60 seconds. The prompt should respond to a certain task, which will then be turned into real-time AI artwork. The winning piece will then be chosen based on audience reactions.
Though it might seem straightforward, the stress of time constraints and performance under the scrutiny of a live audience can prove to be quite a challenge. Interestingly, Schmieg revealed that winners of previous battles were not typically developers or engineers. Their success hinged not only on their aptitude for prompting, but also on their humor and wit which endears them to the audience.
The AI system used for the contest is powered by the OpenAI’s API. Schmieg pointed out that this API has several content moderation guidelines which contestants must adhere to, adding an extra layer of challenge to the event.
Looking ahead, Schmieg expressed his ambition to extend the platform for AI Prompt Battle. He plans to release the software used for the battles to the public, further promoting and encouraging people’s creativity with AI. Additionally, he also intends to organize similar events focused on AI-generated videos.
The upcoming AI Prompt Battle in Melbourne, is a collaborative effort between Sebastian Schmieg and RMIT University’s Culture team. The entry to this intriguing event is free. Schmieg encourages audiences to come over, have fun, and witness the fusion of technology and creativity at play in this technological battle of wits. After the Melbourne event, Schmieg plans to take a brief pause before his continued endeavors into expanding the format and reach of AI Prompt Battles.
