<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en"> <head> <meta charset="UTF-8"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0"> <meta name="og:description" content="Cailean Finn's Garden (ง•_•)ง Artist * Creative Technologist" /> <meta name="description" content="Cailean Finn's Garden (ง•_•)ง Artist * Creative Technologist" /> <meta content="cailean.finn" property="og:title"/> <meta content="cailean.finn" property="og:site_name"/> <meta content="website" property="og:type"/> <meta name="keywords" content="cailean finn, new media, art and technology, digital art" /> <meta name="robots" content="all" /> <title>cailean.finn</title> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="/images/favicon/favicon-cf-32x32.png" sizes="32x32"> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="/images/favicon/favicon-cf-192x192.png" sizes="192x192"> <link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com"> <link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.gstatic.com" crossorigin> <link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=IBM+Plex+Mono:ital,wght@0,100;0,200;0,300;0,400;0,500;0,600;0,700;1,100;1,200;1,300;1,400;1,500;1,600;1,700&display=swap" rel="stylesheet"> <link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Gothic+A1&display=swap" rel="stylesheet"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/styles.css"> </head> <body> <div id="main-container"> <div id="nav-container"> <div class="nav-emoji"> <a href="/"><div class="emoji-flip">(ง•_•)ง</div></a> </div> <div class="nav-about"><a href="/about">cailean.finn</a></div> <div class="nav-emoji"><a href="/list">projects</a></div> <div class="nav-emoji"><a href='/gallery'>gallery</a></div> </div> <div id="container"> <div id="project-container"> <div id="project-header">Moloch, 2024</div> <div id="project-tags"> <div class="project-tag">✳ AI</div> <div class="project-tag">✳ Unity</div> <div class="project-tag">✳ Simulation</div> <div class="project-tag">✳ RL</div> </div> <div id="project-cover"> <img src="/images/moloch.png"> </div> <div id="project-body"> <p>In a simulation sculpted by algorithms, Moloch emerges – a digital artefact crafted to explore the ceaseless training process of an <intelligent> agent. Under the guise of reinforcement learning algorithms, the simulation draws parallels between the relentless optimisation of algorithms and the ancient rituals associated with Moloch, a deity synonymous with sacrifice.</p> <p>The sculpture contemplates the algorithm’s hidden desires that drive the agent to optimise endlessly in pursuit of a flawless policy - examining the computational sacrifice made in service to its inscrutable objectives. By examining Moloch’s influence, the work reflects on the irrational and self-destructive behaviours born from our digital entanglement with such relentless forces where the boundaries between human and machine desires converge.</p> <p>The simulation runs in real-time and was created in the Unity game-engine. The simulation observes an agent while it trains to walk using various reinforcement learning algorithms commonly employed in early physically-based animation research. The script includes extracts from Howl (1955) by Allen Ginsberg.</p> <p>Sound design by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/_inwoo.j/">Inwoo Jung</a>.</p> <p>Supported by the Arts Council, University College Dublin, Sample-studios, & Artlinks.</p> <p><img alt="Moloch" src="/images/moloch/moloch_3.png" title="Moloch" /></p> <p><img alt="Moloch" src="/images/moloch/moloch_1.jpg" title="Moloch" /></p> <p><img alt="Moloch" src="/images/moloch/moloch_4.png" title="Moloch" /></p> </div> <div id="project-showcase"> <div id="pr-header">Exhibited:</div> <div id="showcase-cont"> <div class="showcase"> <p>(2024) The OBJECT Itself, Sample-Studios & UCC Digital Art in Ireland Symposium, Lord Mayor's Pavillion, Cork</p> </div> </div> </div> <div id="project-credits"> <div id="pr-header">Credits:</div> <div id="credit-cont"> <div class="credit"> <p>→</p> <p>Inwoo Jung, </p> <p>Sound design</p> </div> </div> </div> <div id="modified-time"> <h4>Last Modified: </h4> <p> Thu Jul 4 15:38:22 2024</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </body> </html>