We've all worried that AI is going to replace human creativity and that it has changed the design process and the tools we use every day. They say no one will draw in the future. So, we've made a pencil that draws for you. Just as pencils have been a fundamental tool of human creativity throughout history, 'The Last Pencil' is a provocation depicting how artificial intelligences could radically change the way we design together in a not too distant future.
The project comprises a limited series of 500 'pencils' that, at first glance, appear to be ordinary items; however, they lack an actual graphite core.
Engraved in each item is a unique identifier, which links to a virtual pencil used by artificial intelligence to draw in the digital space.
Why is this interesting?
"The Last Pencil" marks the beginning of a collaboration between oio and Mudac.
It was presented during Milano Design Week 2023 to stimulate a discussion about
the role of humans and machines in future design processes.
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THE PROCESS
design
by
emer
gence
Making a pencil isn't that easy; making the last pencil was actually very hard.
The text was input into Midjourney to produce an AI-generated image, taking into account the data for each location. We chose to maintain consistency in the plate shape in order to center the experiment on materials and make adjustments accordingly.
