Reassemble Lab: Natural Intelligence

Natural Intelligence, the third part of FIBER’s Reassemble Lab, will explore alternative internet infrastructures based on earthly dynamics, low-carbon solutions and ecological ethics.

The immense possibilities of today’s internet services, data centres, artificial intelligence and rendered computer graphics have been made possible by a large supply of cheap energy sources: fossil fuels. The promises of yet another generation of AIs and metaverses are unthinkable without the endless extraction and flow of fossil energy. Many are already talking about ‘data warming’ as one of the strongly growing drivers of global warming.

From March 10 to 13, FIBER provides a four day meeting place for artists, designers, creative coders, technologists, researchers, energy experts and policy makers who are committed to, or interested in, working towards a fossil-free and fair internet.

As a participant you are invited to join hands-on workshops, prototyping sessions, talks and discussions. These are ranging from a workshop on decolonial design literacy, to using everyday technologies and developing low-carbon websites, to conceptual design sessions and hands-on technical workshops, such as working with a new solar server by Solar Protocol and prototyping new UX concepts.

The lab will kick off with an (online) public programme exploring the theme of Natural Intelligence on Thursday evening, open to everyone. The aim of the programme is to bring together existing practices, skills and knowledge, and to form new alliances. We will ask questions like:

• What role can design, creative coding and artistic research play to envision and prototype a fundamentally different way of adapting our technological demands to natural cycles?
• What does it mean to learn from, adapt to, and work with natural intelligence, and how to imagine, articulate, practice and connect initiatives towards fossil-free futures?
• How can we envision future energy, information and communication systems that are non-extractive in nature, following ecological realities and interacting with natural phenomena and cycles?
• And how to start implementing these values in everyday practices?

More information about the event here