How do computers “view” images? How can areas like media and visual culture studies inform our understanding of computer vision? How can viewing with computers inform our understanding of the past?
This talk by Lauren Tilton will introduce the concept and method of distant viewing, drawing on her new open-access book co-authored with data scientist Taylor Arnold titled Distant Viewing (MIT Press). Then, she will turn to examples from visual culture to demonstrate how AI is animating humanistic inquiry. The talk will end with a reflection, and perhaps provocation, on how digital humanities, data science, and the larger field of AI could reshape the world together.
Lauren Tilton is director of the Distant Viewing Lab and E. Claiborne Robins Professor of Liberal Arts and Professor of Digital Humanities in the Department of Rhetoric & Communication Studies at the University of Richmond.