Curated by ChatGPT: Notes on AI–Human Collaboration

In 2023, Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University embarked on an experiment to use AI to curate an exhibition from the museum’s collection. It was the first time a museum had ever done so. The resulting exhibition, Dreams of Tomorrow: Utopian and Dystopian Visions, featured 21 artworks and was on display for six months in the museum’s Incubator gallery. This presentation reflects on the project’s successes and shortcomings, as well as the critical response that the exhibition received. Julia McHugh and Marshall Price, Curators at the Nasher Museum, will discuss the impact of AI on curatorial practice and the responsibilities of museum professionals when engaging with this technology. What happens when AI joins the team?