Interstitials at Session 9 at TED2024: The Brave and the Brilliant on Thursday, April 18, 2024, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)
The shorts of TED2024 took the audience on a delightful journey filled with new ways to boldly collaborate with AI. Curated by CC Hutten and Jonathan Wells, these videos added insight and thoughtful commentary to our modern challenges. Watch below to travel beyond your own borders and find a future worth fighting for in these decidedly brave and brilliant art pieces.
The short: “Air Head”
In brief: Shy Kids, an artist duo from Canada, team up with Sora to challenge themselves to a whimsical experiment in AI character creation.
The short: “TED2064”
In brief: For TED’s 40th anniversary, we explored our future using AI. Sora, a model launched by OpenAI, generates stunning video from text prompts. Acclaimed filmmaker Paul Trillo was granted early access just before the TED2024 conference to create something with the prompt “TED: the next 40 years.” TED2064 was created entirely with Sora, except for the TED logo animation. Music by @jacques_vortex.
The short: “AI Therapy”
In brief: A colorful short film that asks, “What happens when AI robots become so advanced, they need therapy too?” Originally created for TED2018, “AI Therapy” is more relevant than ever. Directed by Emerald Fennell.
The short: “Beyond Our Reality”
In brief: Artist Don Allen III shows us his dreams, using Sora to blur the lines between reality and fantasy and push the boundaries of AI-generated art.
The short: “DJ SHU-G x junkboxAI”
In brief: Mixed by DJ SHU-G and animated with AI by Mike “Box” Waller of junkboxAI, we are shown what happens when 70’s soul along with 80’s R&B, pop and hip hop combine with unique AI imagery to create a futuristic jam session.
@andrewscott_art Just a few of my frame experiments from the past year. I had way too much fun editing this. These used to just be a small part of my focus as an artist but because of their popularity I’ve been focusing all my creative attention on exploring this area of art. At first I didn’t like the idea of just being known as the frame artist but I’ve grown to love these and their simple metaphors for life. I’m sure I’ll return to my other conceptual illustration work again. But for now I’m excited to keep seeing where this takes me. #contemporaryart #surrealism #conceptualart #artcollector #illustration
The short: “Think Outside the Box”
In brief: Artist Andrew Scott gives a behind-the-scenes look at his wildly creative contemporary art pieces and shows us how innovative human art can still be.
The short: “Gil’s Grills”
In brief: A comedic short film showing there are some situations so absurd and uniquely human, an AI could never dream them up. Directed by Nicolas Gordon via HAVAS for the Brooklyn Film Festival.
The short: “Moving On (Director’s Cut): The Biggest Land Art in Arizona”
In brief: This award-winning music video tells the story of how Navajo Nation teamed up with one of the world’s best land artists to create the biggest piece of land art in Arizona history. Director Owen Brown captures a performance of epic proportions from A R I Z O N A, a pop rock band from New Jersey centered on a profound sense of community.
The short: “Creation”
In brief: Experience the cosmos in this beautiful visual experience, created by Vadim Sherbakov using substances like soap and ink. Sherbakov rendered a version specifically for TED, making “Creation” especially stunning across TED’s signature three-screen stage.
The short: “Share The Lamb”
In brief: A tongue-in-cheek ad that pokes fun at the “generational gap” and subsequent irritation each generation feels with the other. Directed by Aimée-Lee Xu Hsien and Trent O’Donnell.
The short: “They Don’t Know How to Fall in Place”
In brief: Official video for “They Don’t Know How To Fall In Place” by The Lemon Twigs, where we are treated to a vintage-inspired upbeat tune. Directed by Ambar Navarro.
The short: “Breakdown – Audible”
In brief: A hilariously cathartic and relatable ad that shows how the right audio book can shift your perspective on a chaotic day. Created by Thomas Ormande.
The short: “The Prompt”
In brief: An AI-enhanced film produced by the Atypical Company that explores the fusion of generative technology and spoken poetry to weave a compelling visual narrative.
The short: “The Beatles Vs The Stones”
In brief: This engaging animated video highlights the “rivalry” between two prolific bands. Created by Dog & Rabbit.
The short: “Flora”
In brief: This captivating visual piece created by Ian Frederick celebrates the resilience and beauty of the natural world. On TED’s powerful three-screen stage layout, we displayed “Flora” in its full brilliance in sync with Frederick’s behind-the-scenes video.
The short: “CDK – Somebody That I Used to Know by Gotye”
In brief: Choreographer Sergio Reis puts a spin on a classic song with a surreal new performance.
The short: “Museum Worthy”
In brief: This comedic ad directed by Brian Billow for the AICP awards humorously portrays how even the most historically celebrated artists experienced “constructive critique.”
The short: “Beautiful People (Stay High)”
In brief: The Black Keys celebrate the human instinct to dance and transcend borders with their music video for “Beautiful People (Stay High),” directed by Chris Saunders.
The short: “Fine Line (Visualizer)” (excerpt)
In brief: Kesha shows us her vulnerability and strength in her music video for “Fine Line,” directed by Vince Haycock.
The short: “GENERATION”
In brief: A brief journey through the human experience as seen by the eyes of an AI. Created by Riccardo Fusetti.
The short: “The Golden Record”
In brief: A mystifying and beautiful Sora-generated visualizer that sparkles with gold. Edit and sound design by Paul Trillo.
The short: “Dan Dennett – Dangerous memes”
In brief: In memory of the late Dan Dennett, we revisited his 2002 TED Talk in which he makes a powerful case for the existence of memes. His talk rings just as true today as it did 12 years ago.