The Algorithm Of Faith

Work in Progress

December 2020. It was a challenging period for all of us. COVID pandemic was on the rise. The whole world was feeling low, and like many of us, I struggled to maintain the balance. During that period in history, we relied heavily on our mobile devices to stay connected with others and the world around us. We were yearning for human connection and actively seeking hope for the future.
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I remember one day I took my phone, opened TikTok, and there it was! A message from the universe. A man holding a white stone, eyes closed, said ' If you see this message, it was meant to find you... You're facing financial struggles, but it's part of a larger redirection, guiding you towards reinventing your income generation and discovering your true purpose.' Instantly, a wave of relief washed over me, I really needed to hear these exact words. He then added, ' Consider reconnecting with a friend who recently you lost touch with....' Wow! He seemed to know awful a lot about me!  
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On the intellectual level I knew it there might be many explanations for why this content landed on my feed and why it resonated with me. But on the emotional level it felt as if my phone was more than just a device transferring the data; it served as energetic transmiter, a conduit to the divine—an on demand connection to a higher realm.

Could this be that it was a message to me from the universe? Was it me who assigned more meaning to this content than it actually has? Was this a placebo effect healing the need for security, creating a feeling we're not alone?

Was it only me struggling to find a clear explanation? I started to ask around, and it turned out I'M NOT ALONE.
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To grasp today's perspective on spirituality and our spiritual journey, it's essential to comprehend our interconnectedness with technology.

Our mobile devices are our primary companions, often used for emotional buffering. Whenever discomfort arises, we can turn to our phones for instant distraction and a dopamine boost. Additionally, they serve as a vast source of knowledge, offering answers to any question at our fingertips. As our relationship with technology progresses, our mobile devices become a replacement for many of our fundamental needs.
Algorithms don't operate solely based on organised data; they also incorporate chance occurrences.An algorithm is essentially a step-by-step procedure for solving a problem or accomplishing a task. In the case of AI and Gen AI, these algorithms are designed to mimic certain aspects of human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, problem-solving, decision-making, and now with Generative AI, also content generation. Despite the precision of algorithms, they still allow for the occurrence of coincidences.

Algorithms, while designed to personalise content, may occasionally result in random content suggestion.  With the high number of creators producing similar content or selling the same type of product, algorithms often narrow down the selection, but the final choice is still random. Also, to prevent users from feeling like products or targets and to maintain their interest, algorithms aim to provide a diverse and organic content feed by occasionally suggesting random content outside their usual interests - it's called algorithmic serendipity.

Anything that occurs by chance or coincidence may be interpreted as fate or destiny, contributing to the ongoing debate: does a higher power or divine entity exist?

Investigating the pivotal elements that enhance the feeling of connection to a higher power while interacting with algorithm.

Technology is not only data and numbers. In order for us to connect with it, it needs it's physical shape, and interaction design.

I'd like to explore alternative ways of interacting with algorithm, leaving behind commercial product design, and focusing on purely on design and interaction elements which makes us feel connected to the 'divine'.

I operate at the intersection of visual and digital arts, melding physical craftsmanship with interaction design, while collaborating closely with a programming team at Acclivous Byte (acclivousbyte.com) and a touch screen supplier at Yunlea (yunlea.com).

The gallery exhibition becomes a space without limits where we can explore our boundaries and relationship the algorithm.

The exhibition gallery space is a constraint-free zone where visitors are not shoppers and the audience is not a product. This allows us to further explore the role of the algorithm, and for a moment, we can set aside ethical considerations. We’re free to delve into what may be immoral and potentially dangerous space, in order to become more conscious about how we perceive and interact with algorithms as entities, as well as what’s their role in our reality.

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