“AI is Not Magic” Osaka traveling exhibition to be held at FabCafe Osaka ~An exhibition that was well-received in Tokyo and encourages us to consider how we interact with technology~
Loftwork Press Release: September 1, 2025 “AI is Not Magic” Osaka traveling exhibition to be held at FabCafe Osaka ~An exhibition that was well-received in Tokyo and encourages us to consider how we interact with technology~ On September 24th, we’ll also be holding a “Bug Drink” workshop, where humans will respond to AI jokes with all their might.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/4703/158/4703-158-00c01e9e4665eb0240510432ff54fa1b-1920×1080.jpg
understanding of its structure or logic. “AI is Not Magic” takes a step back to reexamine this magical perception. How can we properly understand AI and utilize it in our creative processes? What kind of relationship should we maintain with AI? We will explore clues through the dialogue and experimentation that is unique to FabCafe. Exhibition Highlights: New Relationships Born from Dialogue with AI At FabCafe, we have engaged in numerous dialogues about the relationship between AI and humans. What has emerged from these dialogues is our own perspective, which tends to be trapped in the dualistic question of “Will AI surpass humans?” In this exhibition, we questioned this premise and attempted to imagine a new relationship. This exhibition will feature works that depict co-creation with AI from a variety of perspectives, including James Bridle’s project in which he designed a chair while conversing with AI, and Domestic Data Streamers’ project in which AI experiences that affect memories and emotions are deeply integrated into personal identity. Visitors will be able to experience the “distance between themselves and AI” through dialogue, creation, and observation.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/4703/158/4703-158-fb9058fc9c95285238992abfb5c8586c-800×600.jpg Photo from the Tokyo exhibition. Photo by Kusk
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/4703/158/4703-158-ddaebbe427d3b6745b91f4499ca387e2-800×600.jpg Scene at the Tokyo exhibition Photo by Kusk Exhibiting artist projects James Bridle
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/4703/158/4703-158-2f1d32bf9bb43c97d95e785f33e1327e-640×853.jpg Writer, artist, and technologist. His work has been exhibited in galleries, cultural institutions, and online around the world. His work has been featured in numerous magazines and newspapers, including Wired, The Atlantic, New Statesman, The Guardian, and Financial Times. His books include A New Dark Age (2018) and Ways of Being (2022), and in 2019 he wrote and navigated “New Ways of Seeing” for BBC Radio 4.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/4703/158/4703-158-29ebbad196aabad015e4e118ef091e78-800×600.jpg Photo by Kusk AI Chair ChatGPT was asked to design a chair based on a pile of scrap wood, and this chair was actually produced. The “AI Chair” was newly created for this exhibition. Movie project Image
URL: https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/4703/158/4703-158-8facb30331b5832a2e6ea6a642890395-1024×683.jpg Photo by Aya Kawachi This label explores Enga, a participatory manga genre in which players act out characters. In Enga, the player’s lines are reflected in speech bubbles, and the generative AI’s responses are integrated with the manga artist’s handwritten manuscript, changing the story’s development each time you play. Led by game developer Kihara Tomo, the label collaborates with various manga artists to expand the possibilities of generative storytelling experiences.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/4703/158/4703-158-06659712b6c8b4aaa08e17a15ba026fa-1024×576.jpg Photo by Aya Kawachi Enga Vol. 1 “The Last Parachute” Original Story and Game Design: Kihara Kyo Manga: Nagara The first installment of the new Engai series is set on a plane on the verge of crashing. There are three people on board – the captain and two passengers – but there are only two parachutes. The decision on who gets to use their parachute is made by the opinionated captain, who has already equipped one and intends to survive himself. The two passenger players must persuade the captain, played by a text-generation AI, through conversation. Will the passengers work together to ensure everyone’s survival, or collude with the captain and save themselves? Depending on the players’ words, the story will unfold differently each time, from everyone surviving to everyone being wiped out. As large-scale language models become increasingly involved in important social decision-making, this series explores how these systems can determine the “value of life.” Domestic Data Streamers
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/4703/158/4703-158-84cb41ba8970106f60154ace594182de-683×1024.jpg Domestic Data Streamers is a Barcelona-based collective of
journalists, researchers, programmers, artists, data scientists, and designers. Since 2013, they have been exploring new data languages and their social impact. His research and practice span a wide range of contexts, including film, installation, digital experiences, performance, and exhibitions, and have taken him to schools, prisons, cinemas, museums, the streets of numerous cities, and even the United Nations Headquarters. Based in Barcelona, he has worked in over 45 countries and on every continent. His projects have also taken him to cultural institutions such as Tate Modern (London), the Hong Kong Design Institute, and the California Academy of Sciences. Image
URL: https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/4703/158/4703-158-5b913215ef7c29c331de27effc55f195-1024×683.jpg Synthetic Memories Synthetic Memories is a project aimed at recreating and preserving personal memories that are in danger of being lost. By converting spoken and written descriptions of memories into visual images, this project helps people, especially those experiencing memory loss due to aging, migration, or neurological disease, reconnect with their past and maintain identity continuity in challenging circumstances. Detailed descriptions of memories are collected through interviews and converted into visual prompts for generative AI. The AI uses this information to reconstruct and store a digital image of the individual’s memory. Participants review and edit the generated image to ensure it accurately reflects their memory. As a result, individuals receive a printed and digital image, called a “memory vector.” This is a visual, tangible representation of their memory, strengthening the emotional connection between past and present. Techno Graphical Data Archive
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/4703/158/4703-158-8c2210cd5af14f8e20a7d11efd2afcda-562×562.jpg “TECHNO GRAPHICAL DATA ARCHIVE,” commonly known as “TGDA,” is a joint project between DENSO Corporation and FabCafe Tokyo to digitally archive and rediscover the value of vanishing Tokaido-based artisanal skills. By digitizing the skilled techniques of traditional artisans around the world and archiving them on a globally accessible data platform, the project promotes the preservation and passing on of local culture. On September 24th, we’ll also be holding a “Bug Drink” workshop, where humans will respond to AI jokes with all their might.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/4703/158/4703-158-06f8ea521eebb04d3b6b0edfc9b30fe2-1185×791.png Even our relationship with AI is driven by laughter, in keeping with Osaka’s character. During the exhibition, we’ll be holding a workshop where you can engage in a humorous exchange with AI. If you input “I want to feel refreshed,” you’ll receive “super spicy hot milk.” If you input “I want to feel soothed,” you’ll receive “natto smoothie.” The Bug Drink Laboratory is a place where humans make adjustments to the “buggy” AI’s proposals, providing feedback and making adjustments, until the drink is finally completed. This is the moment when the runaway AI and human feedback intersect. An unpredictable experiment on the “future of food” unfolds. Event
details:https://fabcafe.com/jp/events/osaka/20250924_bagudrink Exhibition Overview Exhibition Title: AI is Not Magic ~Osaka Traveling Exhibition~ 34 Days to Explore AI and Our Position Dates: Monday, September 1, 2025 – Saturday, October 4, 2025 Time: 10:00 – 20:00 (same as cafe opening hours) Location: FabCafe Osaka (Address: 2-2-4 Tenjinbashi, Kita-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture) Admission fee: Free Sponsored by: FabCafe Osaka Website:
https://fabcafe.com/jp/events/osaka/250901_aiisnotmagic/ About FabCafe Osaka FabCafe is not only a cafe, but also a creative community with locations around the world. We connect closely with local creative communities and work on projects utilizing the unique craftsmanship, materials, and technology of each region. FabCafe Osaka opened in Tenjin, Osaka, in March 2025 as the 13th FabCafe worldwide and the 6th in Japan. FabCafe Osaka is operated by the creative company Loftwork Inc. and offers experiences incorporating “L’Informe,” a modern and contemporary art philosophy that pursues beauty unconstrained by form. Instead of the 3D printers and laser cutters found at other FabCafe locations, the cafe will use a distiller as a tool to bring
“L’Informe” to life. The cafe will offer food and drink experiences that utilize aromas, as well as activities that stimulate the senses. Visitors will be able to develop their sensibilities and emotions, and discover new possibilities through these experiences.