Algorithms in Reflection

Algorithms in Reflection is a series of interactive mirrors with embodied AI that responds to facial expressions. The work initially began as a single mirror that responded exclusively to happiness. Using a camera and a convolutional neural network trained on the FER-2013 dataset, it detects when a viewer smiles and reveals their reflection only when they appear happy. The AI assesses the authenticity of the smile and generates a “confidence score,” which measures its certainty about the smile’s genuineness. The mirror interacts with viewers by raising or lowering a blind. To see their reflection, they must keep smiling. If they stop, the blind falls and hides their reflection. This creates an immediate and immersive exchange between the viewer and the AI system. The artwork highlights the growing influence of AI in our everyday life. This mirror explores what it means to express emotions to a non-human entity and have them acknowledged by it. We are already accustomed to smiling and laughing in social interactions to appear happy, whether genuine or not. But does it feel different when we must convince AI? In the end, this mirror shows us that as we interact more with AI, we are also reflecting on ourselves, reminding us of our own nature as social beings.