Project APEX is an art project that delves into the complex relationship between artificial intelligence, human creativity, and the evolving landscape of artistic production. The project challenges traditional notions of creativity and craftsmanship by employing an AI to illustrate cards for a game without understanding play or humanity well.

The deliberate choice to make the AI-created illustrations intentionally "wrong" serves as a commentary on the potential pitfalls of automation, particularly in the realm of artistic expression. By replacing the role of a human illustrator with an AI, the project prompts viewers to reflect on issues such as job displacement, skill shift, and the impact of technology on traditional artistic practices and society as a whole.

Selecting the game of Netrunner as the canvas for the aforementioned concept introduces an additional layer of complexity as the thematic elements and narrative intricacies within Netrunner already voice the overarching issues. For example, cards such as “I’ve had worse” see protestors revolt against artificial intelligence, while cards such as “Chastushka“ support the rights of AI agents.

Project APEX externalizes these fictional themes, including but not limited to job displacement, skill shift, and the influence of technology on both traditional artistic practices and society. Furthermore, by weaving the narrative threads of Netrunner with the capabilities of a flawed AI illustrator, Project APEX challenges players to experience the tension that exists between the game's predominantly dystopian fiction and their own lived reality.

Despite the somewhat grim aesthetic of the AI-generated cards, the project maintains a balanced outlook by acknowledging the incredible capabilities of modern technology while recognizing the importance of an ethical use of the technology and the need for fair compensation for labor.

The Card Game

Project APEX’s design goal was to create a self-contained set of Netrunner cards that would communicate the concept above through an uncomfortable but consistent aesthetic experience. Given that generative AI was in its infancy, this involved a lot of “AI wrangling” to get the kinds of images that the project needed. Most of the artwork ended up being a composite of multiple AI images which certainly put my digital painting skills to the test. The end result of this project were 148 individual cards.

The Video Game

After completing all the cards, I downloaded an open-source Javascript version of the game, and modified the code to support my work. This involved some significant modifications to make sure that all the cards interactions would render correctly as the text is positioning in different locations from the original game. I also created a launcher for 17 beginner-friendly starting decks.