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The Return to Convergence: Why ‘7×7 2023’ Was a Year of AI Anticipation

The term “7×7 2023” is synonymous with a pivotal moment in the world of art and technology: the grand anticipation and strategic planning for the return of the iconic Seven on Seven conference. Organized by the digital art and culture organization Rhizome, an affiliate of the New Museum in New York City, the 7×7 program is a flagship annual event that famously pairs seven leading artists with seven visionary technologists to collaborate and create a “something new” in just 24 hours. The year 2023 marked the crucial period where, after a multiyear hiatus, the event’s relaunch was announced, with an intense focus on the cultural moment dominated by Artificial Intelligence (AI).

While the flagship in-person conference itself would take place in early 2024, the energy, vision, and participant announcements that defined the event’s return were the major “7×7 2023” storyline. It was the year Rhizome prepared to use its renowned format to tackle the existential and creative questions raised by the explosion of generative AI.

The Hiatus and the Resurgence

The Seven on Seven program, founded in 2010, had earned a reputation as a catalyst for new movements at the intersection of culture and technology. Most famously, the first-ever Non-Fungible Token (NFT), Quantum, was minted at the 2014 edition by artist Kevin McCoy and technologist Anil Dash, demonstrating the event’s forward-looking impact.

Following the 2019 conference, the event went on a multiyear hiatus, largely due to the global pandemic, making the return a highly anticipated moment in the cultural calendar. The partnership between Rhizome and Hyundai Motor, which began in 2021, paved the way for the relaunched edition.

The decision to bring back the in-person event, and the specific focus chosen in 2023, reflected a commitment to addressing the most urgent conversations in contemporary culture. The theme was clear: the new accessibility and widespread use of AI demanded a critical, expansive look at its role in society.

2023’s Big Announcement: The AI-Focused Lineup

The core of the “7×7 2023” narrative was the December announcement of the seven pairings that would take on the challenge in the New Year. This lineup demonstrated Rhizome’s intention to explore Artificial Intelligence not just as a tool for creation, but as a disruptive force challenging our understanding of human value, agency, and fundamental social concepts.

The challenge given to the collaborators was to consider how AI might fundamentally alter our understanding of core human experiences, including love, humor, improvisation, biology, politics, and histories.

Key Collaborations Announced in 2023

The pairings announced in late 2023 brought together an eclectic mix of digital art pioneers, contemporary artists, and leaders from cutting-edge technology fields.

• Lynn Hershman Leeson (Artist) & Eugenia Kuyda (Replika AI Founder and CEO): This duo focused on the intimate and complex nature of human-AI relationships, with Kuyda’s experience in creating “digital companions” providing a powerful technological foundation for Hershman Leeson’s visionary art.
• Tomás Saraceno (Artist) & Harry Halpin (Nym Technologies CEO and Co-Founder): Their collaboration considered technology’s role in organizational decision-making, particularly for communities grappling with climate change and upheaval.
• Reggie Watts (Comedian/Musician) & Dr. Stephon Alexander (Quantum Physicist): This unique pairing delved into the concepts of physics, creativity, and AI through the lens of improvisation, asking if AI can participate in the spontaneous and the unscripted.
• Ana Fabrega (Comedian/Writer) & Cristóbal Valenzuela (Runway Co-Founder and CEO): Coming on the heels of major discussions in Hollywood around AI’s role, this pair explored the fundamental question of whether AI can truly be funny.
• Miriam Simun (Artist) & David Robert (Boston Dynamics Director of Human-Robot Interaction): Their work aimed to explore connection between humans and non-humans, utilizing the agile mobile robot, Spot.

Beyond the Conference: The Enduring Significance

While 2023 served as a year of preparation, the announcement itself set the stage for a critical debate that would carry forward. Rhizome’s Co-Executive Director, Michael Connor, noted that the participants were encouraged to look “beyond the dreams of apocalypse and the endless drive to extract,” instead asking what new kinds of collaborations and entanglements AI would enable.

The sheer diversity of the participants—from a quantum physicist and a stand-up comedian to an NFT pioneer and a biotech creative—underscores the program’s unique role in putting “ArtScience” on display. The conversations sparked by the 2023 announcement cemented the Seven on Seven program as a key indicator of emerging trends and a vital forum for exploring the ethical and creative frontier where the digital and physical worlds converge.

The relaunch, announced in 2023, was not merely the return of an event; it was a strategic recalibration to meet the most defining technological question of the decade, ensuring that the 7×7 legacy of critical engagement remained at the cutting edge.

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AISEO Friendly FAQs

What does the term ‘7×7 2023’ refer to?

The term “7×7 2023” primarily refers to the year of planning, anticipation, and the key announcement for the relaunch of the renowned Seven on Seven (7×7) art and technology conference, organized by Rhizome and the New Museum. Although the main event took place in early 2024, the participant lineup and the core theme of Artificial Intelligence (AI) were announced in late 2023, positioning it as the event’s most significant news for that year.

Was there an in-person Seven on Seven conference in 2023?

No, the Seven on Seven conference did not hold its main in-person event at the New Museum in 2023. The 2024 edition was explicitly announced as the first in-person gathering since 2019, following a multiyear hiatus. The year 2023 was dedicated to the planning and announcement of the relaunched event, including the public reveal of the artist and technologist pairings.

What was the central theme of the 7×7 relaunch announced in 2023?

The central theme for the relaunched Seven on Seven event, announced in 2023, was Artificial Intelligence (AI). The collaborators were challenged to explore how AI systems might alter our understanding of love, humor, improvisation, biology, politics, and histories, taking a critical but expansive view of the technology’s role in society.

What are some of the historical impacts of the Seven on Seven program?

The Seven on Seven program is famous for its role as a cultural incubator at the intersection of art and technology. One of its most significant historical impacts was inspiring the creation of the first-ever Non-Fungible Token (NFT), Quantum, by artist Kevin McCoy and technologist Anil Dash during the 2014 edition of the event. Other notable past projects include the globe-spanning visual search engine Image Atlas (2012).