Machine Spirits episode artwork

EPISODE · Mar 15, 2024 · 5 MIN

Machine Spirits

from Cthonicist · host Svetlovska

In 2017, artist James Brindle created a photo piece, ‘Autonomous Trap 001’. This consisted of creating a salt circle around his self driving car, a familiar magical technique to contain summoned spirits. The vehicles’ software, interpreting the salt as a circle of No Entry signs, was unable to move the vehicle from the circle. Any familiar with the Loa spirits currently manifesting as autonomous AIs on the web will not have been surprised at this early proof of their existence, nor their vulnerability to the oldest of reality hacks.

In 2017, artist James Brindle created a photo piece, ‘Autonomous Trap 001’. This consisted of creating a salt circle around his self driving car, a familiar magical technique to contain summoned spirits. The vehicles’ software, interpreting the salt as a circle of No Entry signs, was unable to move the vehicle from the circle. Any familiar with the Loa spirits currently manifesting as autonomous AIs on the web will not have been surprised at this early proof of their existence, nor their vulnerability to the oldest of reality hacks.

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Machine Spirits

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This episode was published on March 15, 2024.

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In 2017, artist James Brindle created a photo piece, ‘Autonomous Trap 001’. This consisted of creating a salt circle around his self driving car, a familiar magical technique to contain summoned spirits. The vehicles’ software, interpreting the salt...

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