The Köln International School of Design is hosting the second Hidden Layers conference in Cologne from June 12 to 15. The event brings together a diverse group of experts to discuss and learn about artificial intelligence in design. It is organized by the KITeGG research project on design and AI and combines a public program with lectures, an exhibition, and workshops with internal meetings of the five art and design universities involved in the project.
Participation is free and the public program runs from Wednesday evening, June 12, to Friday afternoon, June 14.
More information will be available starting in early May: https://hiddenlayers.de/
From a design perspective, Hidden Layers deals with the black boxes of machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI). What aesthetics, potentials, coincidences, biases, and dangers do we find in the hidden layers of deep neural networks and big training data? How can we empower designers to develop and use machine learning systems? How can we support design practices that not only know how to use these systems, but also why and when to use them – and when not to? The conference explores these questions along two thematic threads: “AI, Code & Material” examines the interconnectedness of AI, objects, and people, with a particular focus on the integration of product design, embedded AI systems, and new forms of use. “AI, Society & (Visual) Culture” examines the changes that AI is bringing about in the way we work and live –from changes in the way we produce culture and creative practices to changes in the way we shape the lives and work of others.
About KITeGG
The School of Design on campus is one of five art and design universities in the joint project KITeGG on the topic of artificial intelligence in design and society. Members of the network include the University of Applied Sciences Schwäbisch Gmünd, HfG Offenbach Hessen State University of Art and Design, Cologne University of Applied Sciences, Trier University of Applied Sciences, and Mainz University of Applied Sciences. The project is funded for four years up to December 2025 by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research as part of the “Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education” funding initiative with around five million Euro.
The aim of the project is to establish a strong network of design schools and universities in order to anchor the teaching of AI topics and methods across the entire range of the field. The aim of the joint project is to permanently integrate the teaching of AI methods into the education and training of designers, enabling them to use artificial intelligence as a material and tool for design in a reflective manner.
More information:
Website Hidden Layers: https://hiddenlayers.de/
Website KITeGG: https://gestaltung.ai/#/
Click here to go to the degree program website: Communication Design
Instagram channel of the Department @hsm.kommunikationsdesign
