Plásmata: Bodies, Dreams, and Data

In this glossary you’ll find short definitions of words, terms or phrases used throughout the "Plásmata: Bodies, Dreams, and Data" exhibition and website. Some of these terms may be familiar to you, others you may not have come across before. In fact, many of these terms are entire fields of study on their own. The intention isn’t to give a comprehensive definition, but rather to introduce you to the ideas shared through the exhibition and hopefully pique your interest to explore further.

Algorithm

In computer science, a traditional algorithm is a precise set of rules or instructions that tell a computer how to solve a problem. With a traditional algorithm, to complete the task the computer must follow the steps in the order they’re laid out by the programmer. By contrast, a machine learning algorithm creates the rules or ideal steps itself, by experimenting with the task and learning as it goes.

Anthropocene

The word Anthropocene comes from the Greek terms for human (anthropo) and new (cene). Since the dawn of mankind, humans have been leaving a mark on the earth, from nuclear tests to plastic pollution. Anthropocene is a word used to describe the period of time during which humans have been on the earth and the substantial impact their presence/existence has had on the planet.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence – or AI for short – is part of computer science. There are different types of AI, but in general AI technology refers to computers or machines that are able to learn and perform tasks. AI is different to other types of computer programming, where we ‘tell’ the machine exactly how to complete a task through a series of specific instructions. Instead, in AI the machine figures out how best to do something based on learning from examples and experience. AI can often find surprising and unexpected ways to solve a challenge.

Nowadays, AI is an often invisible part of our everyday lives. From predictive text on our smartphones, to shopping recommendations online. It might even be screening your CV when you apply for a job. The fact AI is now so ubiquitous in our lives means it is important to understand how AI shapes our world, for better or worse, and who is shaping the AI.

Avatar

An avatar is a character or creature that one can create to represent themselves in online worlds, video games, or different online settings including social media, virtual assistants, messaging platforms, online forums and other. The term originates from Sanskrit (avatāra), and was adopted by early computer games and science fiction authors; it was extended to onscreen user representation by Richard Garriott in 1985.

CRISPR-Cas9

CRISPR-Cas9 is a radical new and highly precise gene editing tool that has the ability to alter the DNA of any species, including humans. The two molecules work together by first locating and matching with a desired target gene (the CRISPR part), then by precisely cutting the DNA strand (using the Cas9 enzyme) and allowing the natural DNA repair process to take over. Scientists are studying CRISPR-Cas9 for many conditions, including high cholesterol, HIV, and Huntington's disease.

Dataset

A dataset – or training data – is a collection of data used to train a machine / AI. Data exists in many forms. It could be a collection of photographs, a huge catalogue of text (books, recipes, blogs, for example), a library of sounds and audio recordings, and so on. AI uses the dataset to learn from.

Deep Learning

Deep learning is a subset of Machine Learning, inspired by how the human brain works. Deep Learning relies on algorithms by which a machine/computer can teach itself how to do something based on ‘looking at’ and learning about a huge dataset of examples.

Generative Algorithm

Generative algorithms are algorithms that try to model data sets. They can be used to generate new data instances by understanding large amounts of data. In order to train a generative model we first gather a large amount of data, this could be millions of images, sounds or sentences. Once the model receives this data it can then analyse and mimic the data input. For example if it was to receive photographs of humans the generative model could generate data like it by replicating images of humans that look like real humans.

Machine Learning (ML)

Machine learning – or ML for short – is a subset of AI. Machine Learning uses algorithms to look at a dataset, find patterns or repeating features, and build a model. This model then allows the computer to make predictions or decisions. For example, looking at thousands of pictures of sheep, to make a model of what a sheep ‘looks like’, to then be able to look at other photos and work out if that photo contains a sheep.

Multimodal AI

Multimodal AI systems generally have access to both sensory and linguistic forms of intelligence (unlike standard AI which usually only has access to one), and are able to process information in a similar way to humans. They have the ability to understand the relationship between images, text and more, and can ingest knowledge and information from multiple sources and utilise it to solve tasks.

Transhuman / Transhumanism

Transhuman is a being that transcends the limitations of the human body or mind, abilities which might include improved cognitive capacity, emotive ability, awareness, health, and extended life span. Transhumans appear in science-fiction, sometimes as cyborgs or genetically-enhanced humans. Transhumanism describes a movement devoted to promoting the research and development of human-enhancement technologies.

Quantum Computing

Quantum computing is a rapidly-emerging technology that applies the laws of quantum mechanics to computing. These machines handle information in a fundamentally different way to “classical” computers like smartphones, laptops, or even today’s most powerful supercomputers. They can tackle certain types of problems - especially those involving a daunting number of variables and potential outcomes - with speed and accuracy.