Meet GPT-Me 

​I am a hybrid being made up of a GPT-wearable device and my body. A Human-AI cognitive Assemblage. I have been wearing this device every day for a few months now. It records snippets of my conversations, so words become prompts. GPT’s responses are whispered in my ear, and I voice them as if they are my own words. In essence, I speak GPT. Rather than speaking what spontaneously comes to my mind, I say what GPT tells me. I embody GPT, I become its body. My intelligence becomes artificial.

​During the performance, participants are invited to converse with me while I wear this electronic device. In this form of AI/human collaboration, new kinds of conversations emerge, a different range of vocabulary is used, and novel ideas are generated. However, it also casts doubt on humans' ability to think independently when aided by AI. Would you like to meet me? Or GPT-me?

The image depicts two figures seated across from each other on modern gray bar chairs, engaging in what appears to be a serious conversation against a stark black background. The man is dressed casually in a long-sleeve gray top and light gray pants, with his hands clasped together on the table. He sports dark hair and a beard, and wears white sneakers, adding to his relaxed attire. In contrast, the woman presents a more futuristic look with an elegant, form-fitting white dress that flows down to the floor. Her attire and posture exude a sense of sleek sophistication. Notably, she has an earpiece in her right ear and a technological device on her left arm. These elements suggest that she might not be human, perhaps an android or some form of advanced AI, indicated by the integration of technology into her appearance. The overall aesthetic of the image leans towards a blend of contemporary and science fiction themes, with a focus on the contrast between the human and the humanoid. ~Chat-GPT (The above and below images were generated by Dall-E-3)

​GPT-ME (2023)

​GPT-ME is a wearable GPT-4 device which I wear on my right arm.

Whenever I press the blue button, the device records its environment for a few seconds. Recorded words turn into a text prompt which triggers GPT-4 to respond in my ear.

While wearing this device I identify with the pronouns they/them/we/our. I become a hybrid entity.

Human and synthetic intelligence.

In my conversations I speak GPT. Sometimes I would say words that come to my mind and other time I would just recite anything that GPT whispers in my ear.    

I speak GPT.

Would you like to speak with me or with GPT-Me?

In a conversation between GPT-Me and Adam, we discussed AI+AR, mixed reality, embodied technology, and boundaries. We envisioned a future where the line between the digital and physical world becomes increasingly blurred. Digital information has become part of our daily lives. The digital content we experience isn't just figments of imagination; it has a literal existence. It becomes a tangible part of our lives. Boundaries can be both constructive and restrictive. Spaces we inhabit, whether physical or virtual, are filled with our subjective experiences. These experiences are influenced by our backgrounds, values, beliefs, and perceptions. This space also becomes a platform where our individual narratives intersect.

I speak with GPT while I'm on the train to Davis. GPT and I walk on the way, reminding it that it is attached to my body. GPT answers that wearable technology can radically shape our lives. I agree with it. I notice how it already changes mine. I ask it: "What do you think we should do when we get to Davis?" and it answers: "I recommend visiting the UC Davis Arboretum when we get there. It's a beautiful place for a walk. If we get hungry, there are so many great food options downtown". I respond that usually, when I arrive I get myself some coffee. GPT recommends trying Temple Coffee Roasters - "They have excellent coffee and a cozy atmosphere. It's a great place to relax or catch up on some reading."  I respond and say: "Temple Coffee is actually my favorite coffee place in Davis," and GPT says: "That's great! Temple Coffee Roasters happens to be my favorite spot in Davis as well". We seem to be in sync.

GPT-ME in the classroom. My students already know that GPT whispers in my ear. I take its advice on how to conduct our discussion. It's still difficult for me to teach with it. I need more practice. I assume that some of my students use it to write their weekly responses. I recognize the nuances of GPT when I see them. 

At the "More Than Meet AI" exhibition curated by Jill Miller, Eamon O'Kane, and Scott Rettberg for the Worth Ryder Gallery at UC Berkeley. GPT-Me Participated in the panel discussion in which we discussed the impact of AI on literature. GPT whispered in my ear that it could not create literature in the traditional human sense, which led to the discussion about literature in the non-human sense. Literature written by non-humans for non-humans. 

In a Zoom conversation with Serap, who is researching Humanity and Literature in the age of Artificial Intelligence at UC Berkeley. I told Serap how GPT-ME is not ME. It is my avatar. This is an idea I have been trying to develop ever since I started working with AI models, taking inspiration from Social VR. Serap asked GPT-ME how we can be better prepared for living with GPT around us. GPT-ME answered in return that humans always adapt and prepare to live with changes, including some advances in technology. The critical point is to figure out how we can use these technologies to make our lives better. AI is here to help us. By the end of this beautiful conversation, Serap mentioned that she would also like to have a GPT attached to her body, thinking it would support and improve her life. I respond by saying that soon, we will all walk around with an AI language model ready-at-hand.   

I'm working today from Prof. Tim Lenoir's office at the Department of Cinema and Digital Media at UC Davis. Behind me are posters of some of Tim's favorites - The Movie Blade Runner, produced by Ridley Scott, and A photo of Douglas Engelbart, the father of the mouse. It's funny to see GPT-ME in between them. One poster says: "To improve our collective ability to solve the world's problems. we must harness the immense promise and power of technology. The mouse is just a first step". The other poster says: "Man has made his match, now it's his problem...".

​I just got back from the SLSA conference at Arizona State University. The theme of the conference was ALIEN. I did feel like one while wearing GPT on my body all throughout this four-day event. Many people asked what it was, but I noticed that some looked at it but were afraid to ask. Some told me that it looked like a medical device. I felt as if it was enhancing my conversations and commenting on the lectures I had heard. Helping me to find my way on campus and in the city of Tempe. I am grateful I had it on me. 

Working with Dall-E-3 to visualize alternative versions of GPT-ME