Matthew R. Theobald

Deus Ex Machina, 2024

This augmented reality scene depicts a god-like robotic being holding the world menacingly in its grip. The 3D models for the scene were created in Autodesk Maya using traditional hard surface modeling techniques. The textures for the models were made using Adobe Substance 3D Painter. Final composition as well as the generation of the QR code used to load the project were created using Adobe Aero. The rotation of the Earth and clouds as well as the movement of the other objects in the scene were also achieved within Adobe Aero using behavior triggers. The reason I chose the medium of AR for my project was because I felt it synergized well with the topic of AI since both AR and AI are cutting edge, contemporary technologies that will shape the future. 

The piece is meant to symbolize the inevitable impact AI will have on the future of humanity, whether good or bad. AI is predicted to be the most significant invention since the internet and how we choose to implement it into society will likely shape the rest of the 21st century. Generative AIs, such as Chat GPT, already threaten to replace workers in a wide range of fields. The development of AGI, artificial general intelligence, as well as advancements in the field of robotics and automation, will likely lead to wide spread job loss in the near future. My piece is meant to raise awareness of this quickly advancing technology so that we can be better prepared for what's to come.    

About the Artist

As an artist I have explored many mediums, styles and topics throughout my work ranging from traditional graphite drawings, plaster sculptures and oil paintings to digital renders, 3D models and computer animation, but my passion has come to lie most in the realm of the digital. Art is a practice of creation and I feel nothing gives you the ability to create more than the limitless power of the computer. My inspiration for my work largely comes from my deep love and appreciation for video games. Game developers are the authors of their own digital worlds. Being able to create a fully explorable and interactive 3D environment is like being the god of your own little universe. You set the rules, you make the stories and you create the landscapes. Games let you step into a new reality and I want to capture that feeling in my own works. Working in virtual reality and augmented reality lets me do that. By removing the viewer from the real world their mind is primed to experience something new and their attention is entirely captured. I use this to my full advantage by focusing my work on topics I find most important to the human experience and to our future. Questions about our technological development, about the direction of our government and our society, about the future of our planet and its climate. These are all issues I try to comment on most with my work. To create my digital experiences I utilize software such as Autodesk Maya, Adobe Photoshop, Substance Painter, Aero and Unreal Engine to bring my worlds and messages to life.