The DesCartes Program, a Franco-Singaporean research initiative developing Hybrid AI for smart cities, presents an experience designed to make the future of urban artificial intelligence transparent and accessible to all. The experience guides visitors on a journey from awareness to reflection through two distinct interactive installations.
The experience begins with The ABCs of DesCartes, an educational installation designed to foster public awareness and understanding by demystifying complex AI concepts relevant to DesCartes. Inspired by the familiar format of an ABC book, this experience features life-sized panels explaining key terms like ‘Machine Learning’ and ‘Natural Language Processing’, paired with interactive Augmented Reality (AR) illustrations.
With this awareness, visitors are then invited to engage in critical reflection with The Boid Corner. This installation draws inspiration from Singapore’s cultural heritage of “Bird Corners” to explore and illustrate the concept of ‘Digital Twins’ through a playful audio-visual experience. By using visitors’ hand movements to interact with virtual birds, the work prompts thoughtful consideration of the socio-cultural implications of AI and similar data-driven technologies in smart cities.
This showcase aims to create an immersive experience that hopes to empower the public to engage in meaningful dialogue about the possibilities and challenges surrounding the deployment of AI in our cities.
Venue: National Library Building / Lee Kong Chian Reference Library, 100 Victoria St, Singapore 188064
When: 10 - 21 Sep 2025, 10am - 9pm Mondays – Sundays
