MAI
Client
Graduation Project
Institution
Willem de Kooning Academy
Recognition
Selected for Dutch Design Week 2024
Nominated for the Manifestations Young Talent Award
3rd Place – Manifestations Young Talent Award 2024
MAI is an interactive installation that exposes the hidden environmental impact of artificial intelligence by making its water consumption visible in real time. Visitors ask an AI avatar a question and receive an answer, while the installation simultaneously visualises the amount of water consumed by the data centres required to generate that response. By transforming invisible digital infrastructure into a tangible physical experience, the project encourages visitors to critically reflect on the environmental cost of everyday AI usage. The project was selected for Dutch Design Week 2024, nominated for the Manifestations Young Talent Award, and awarded 3rd place.
The Challenge:
Artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly embedded in everyday life, yet the environmental resources required to operate these systems remain largely invisible to users. The challenge was to communicate the ecological footprint of AI through an experience that translated complex technical data into an intuitive and emotionally engaging interaction.
The Idea:
Rather than explaining AI's environmental impact through statistics, MAI allows visitors to experience it. Every interaction with the AI is immediately linked to a measurable physical consequence, transforming an invisible digital process into a visible flow of water. The installation reframes a simple conversation with AI into a moment of reflection on the hidden resources that power our digital lives.
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