TITLE: At the mercy of mannequins

In recent years, the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) has captivated the world, with each new breakthrough pushing the boundaries of what we once thought possible. As I hear more about these remarkable developments, I am filled with admiration for the potential AI brings to life. However, alongside my admiration, a more unsettling thought persists: what if, in its relentless pursuit of perfection, AI veers into dangerous territory, beyond our control or understanding?

In this project, I have envisioned the City of Mannequins—a metropolis ruled by an intelligence far beyond the comprehension of its inhabitants. The name might evoke images of empty, lifeless figures in shop windows, but in reality, the city is anything but devoid of life. It is a world where artificial intelligence has taken center stage, shaping every aspect of existence. In the City of Mannequins, every process of life is designed and directed by machines, creating an environment increasingly alien to the humans who once called it home.

In this city, body parts are sold as individual, meticulously crafted pieces, which can be assembled into new beings. The potential for beauty and precision in this process is vast. Yet, for all its potential, there is also room for disaster. Some mannequins, the products of flawed designs or careless execution, emerge as grotesque failures—distant echoes of humanity, unsettling and imperfect in ways that no algorithm could have predicted.

The City of Mannequins stands as both a vision of a possible future and a stark warning. While, this is still only my fantasy, but the threat is somewhere around the corner

AUTHOR: Helen McLain (United States)