Sparring Partners


A semi-improvised audiovisual performance: a performer reads a series of statements, ranging from factual to nonsensical, while frequently being interrupted by an artificial intelligence model displayed on a wearable device on their wrist. The AI attempts to assert its opinion on the veracity of each statement, challenging and altering the results of the performance through unpredictable branching outcomes.

Sparring Partners was written and first performed in November 2023 as part of the programme of Mirror, Mirror at London’s Iklectic, and supported by Arts Council Korea. AI and audience members play improvised roles through a branching script; every performance differs. The AI partner’s responses are generated on a local machine by bespoke open-source software written in Python, Nim and Javascript, using the Ollama API with Mistral-OpenOrca and displayed on a Bangle.js smartwatch.