Generative AI Live Performance (VR Awards)
The team behind NON-PLAYER CHARACTER and ONBOARDXR invites audiences to generate the world around a live musical performance.
When Non-Player Character became a Finalist for The VR Awards, the first and obvious question was whether the team could perform in the Netherlands. Every year, the award show opens with an artistic exploration of technology to celebrate the ending of Immersive Tech Week and we could think of no better place to bring the on-stage premiere of our latest project, DEGENERATE, combining artificial intelligence with live music and improvisation.
ABOUT DEGENERATE
Imagine if Sondheim wrote Sunday In The Park With George to examine the role of a creator using generative artificial intelligence. The team debuted the opening number ‘I Can Build It’ at OnBoardXR’s 6th virtual season this spring, allowing audiences to type prompts into a virtual reality keyboard to generate and spawn images around the live performer, using DALL•E and Remove AI.
When invited to perform at the VR Awards show in recognition of their nomination for Location Based Experience of the Year (Non-Player Character), the team modified the DEGENERATE prototype to allow audiences to use their mobile devices to type prompts without entering the virtual world. This decreased the reliance on the venue’s WIFI and increased the number of participants.
A persistent world is hosted as an artifact from the live, generative performance and may be joined on any device below…
TEAM
The team includes Brendan Bradley (Creator and Performer), Clemence Debaig (Creative Technologist), Michael Morran (Technical Director), and Maurice Soque Jr. (Musical Director and Pianist). The performance featured Isa Schouten (Cellist).
LOCATION-BASED EXPERIENCE OF THE YEAR FINALIST
Non-Player Character is a full-length, interactive musical performed in playhouses, cinemas and festivals all over the world. Four audience “players” join the live actor on stage to co-create the narrative while seated spectators watch the virtual world and characters projected on the big screen, while using their mobile devices to participate.