Youth Art Contest – Future 2045

Artist statement:

This project was undoubtedly a great challenge, especially since it involved creating a frame-by-frame animation. The amount of dedication required was immense, and every step of the process demanded patience and attention to detail. From the moment I was introduced to the briefing, an idea quickly formed in my mind: to represent the pain of a child who dreams of a peaceful world, a world that they could have lived in, but is unfortunately far from their reality.

In the animation, the protagonist is watching a TV show that depicts the kind of world he longs for: a calm and safe place where he could play without fear. However, shortly after, his city is attacked by autonomous weapons, which kill indiscriminately, without regard for whether the victim is a child or not. The boy, along with his mother, tries to escape but ends up leaving behind his little toy airplane, a profound symbol of his wish to live like the boy on the TV.

All of my knowledge about autonomous weapons and other military technologies was gained through my involvement as a volunteer with Dhesarme, a Brazilian organization dedicated to humanitarian disarmament. Through research, lectures, and courses, I learned more about the implications of these weapons and the importance of striving for a safer world for children.

I am very proud to represent Dhesarme in this competition, using art to convey the message of peace and disarmament.

Follow Maria Eduarda on Instagram (@duszr) and LinkedIn

Artist statement:

My name is Paul Connor and I am an 18 year old Singer-Songwriter from Liverpool, UK. My favourite bands are The La’s, Oasis, Red Rum Club, Sam Fender and The Smiths. I regularly play across England and have starred on TV shows like The Voice (UK)!

As a young musician, the future of the music industry affects myself and other upcoming artists enormously. AI, as it has transpired, is arguably the biggest threat to our future. However, AI threatens not just musicians, but everyday life. We are already seeing this with the abhorrent use of autonomous weapons around the world.

As a creative and as a human being, I feel that it is important to play my part in warning of the dangers that AI presents. Thus, I have made a song that tries to encapsulate these concerns into one significant warning.

I am honoured to have won this part of the competition, and I am happy that my voice has been heard. Stop Killer Robots!

Song lyrics

Follow Paul (@paulconnormusic) on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and X

Artist statement:

I, Skanda Ravindra, come from Chennai, Tamil Nadu, which is located in the southern part of India. I am currently a student who has a handful when it comes to extracurricular activities, especially art and writing-related.

I was inclined and interested in choosing the first theme for this contest, which was with regards to a world where autonomous weapons are regulated/banned. I am of the belief that today’s information and news have been overloaded with pessimistic predictions, though not entirely wrong. But I felt it is crucial to picture the positive outcomes of this cause that we are fighting for because only then, for a change, instead of seeing the negatives, barriers, and blockades towards this clash, would we be strongly reminded and motivated to continue this long, arduous struggle.

I have tried to encapsulate this notion with a peaceful landscape that has been built upon the ruins of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) as a shepherd glances through the horizon. Peace is not exactly defined as a moment of happiness, joy, and delight all the time. But here, contentment is the key emotion for me. The pure contentment that we derive from the potential regulation of automated weapons systems is something I hope to see materialise in my lifetime.

Follow Skanda on Instagram (@skanda_illustrations)

Artist statement:

My name is Ditmer de Heer, and I am a 20-year-old Dutch Data Science & Society student. In my free time I incorporate my broad interests – ranging from politics and news to rowing and reading – into stories. My goal as a writer is to combine the different ideas of what it is to be human with dystopian imaginations of the future. There are certain events, inventions or ideas that many prefer to ignore or avoid. Through my stories I try to shine a light on those uncomfortable truths, because I believe that sometimes we must look the possible grave consequences of our actions into the eyes to prevent them from happening.

In my short story ‘Honest hardship’ the world has failed to regulate autonomous weapons in 2045, mainly due to international conflicts which led to a Third World War, during which the usage of automatic machines (AMs) has normalized. The story follows two refugees, Sadiqa and Shiddah, on their journey to Scandinavia, where they hope to find a safe haven.

The inspiration for Honest hardship comes from my current work-in-progress story “A sort of grey”, in which I explore futuristic, yet realistic technologies within dynamic and evolving worlds. In Honest hardship I specifically wanted to highlight how our human rights could be undermined through the usage of AMs – something both of my characters ultimately fall victim to. This happens through decisions on who is being targeted and conscious discriminatory classification. This story serves as a mirror to those who develop autonomous weapons and those responsible for regulating them, while it also illustrates what the consequences could be if governments and international organizations fail to act.

Follow Ditmer on Instagram (@constantin _ comics) and LinkedIn

Artist statement:

I am a 19-year-old Chilean-Argentinean student with a passion for art. I already had some knowledge about the negative side that AIs can have, but upon entering the career of political science I found myself with the risk they present to human life. It is because of this that I developed an interest in The Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, and decided to participate in the Future 2045 competition.

What my work sought to express was the idea of a future in which, due to the lack of regulation of AIs and similar technologies, they manage reality as they please, without repercussions. They eliminate the concept of victims or privacy and freedom, creating illusions of beauty and peace with which they keep the masses ignorant. For this I sought to use as a focus an intelligent but insensitive robot with his hands covered in the blood of his crimes, which is masked by a cheerful commercial man, who in his place washes his hands. Meanwhile the background is a series of screens that are shown as simple ways to promote overconsumption, but are actually forms of surveillance.

————-

Soy una estudiante chilena-argentina de 19 años con una pasión por el arte. Ya tenía cierto conocimiento sobre el lado negativo que pueden tener las IA, pero al entrar a la carrera de ciencias políticas me encontré con el riesgo que presentan a la vida humana. Es por ello que desarrollé un interés por La campaña para detener los robots asesinos, y decidí participar en la competencia del futuro 2045.

Lo que mi trabajo buscaba expresar era la idea de un futuro en el cual, debido a la falta de regulación de las IA y tecnologías similares, estas manejan la realidad a su gusto, sin repercusiones. Eliminan el concepto de víctimas o privacidad y libertad, creando ilusiones de belleza y paz con las que mantienen a las masas ignorantes. Para ello busqué usar como enfoque un robot inteligente pero insensible con las manos cubiertas en la sangre de sus crímenes, el cual es enmascarado por un alegre hombre de comercial, quien en su lugar se lava las manos. Mientras tanto el fondo son una serie de pantallas que se muestran como simples formas de promover el consumo excesivo, pero que en realidad son formas de vigilancia.