From Echo to Exhibit: Anatomy of an AI System and Art as Advocacy

In her groundbreaking work, Kate Crawford takes a different approach to the often-overlooked aspects of artificial intelligence. In collaboration with Vladan Joler, Crawford helped create Anatomy of an AI System, an art installation that explores the hidden lifecycle of one of the most ubiquitous AI-driven devices in modern homes: the Amazon Echo. This project, which visually maps the journey of the Echo—from the extraction of raw materials to its eventual disposal—has earned global acclaim for its ability to bring the invisible costs of AI technology into the public eye.

Rather than simply critiquing AI’s implications from an academic or policy standpoint, Crawford and Joler use art as a medium to visualize the global supply chains, the labor exploitation, and the environmental degradation embedded in the development and deployment of AI systems. Anatomy of an AI System serves as a powerful example of how art can complement academic critique, sparking ethical awareness and inspiring policy discussions on the unseen consequences of our reliance on technology.

In this blog, we will explore the key elements of this art installation, including its collaboration with global museums like MoMA and the V&A, its profound impact on public perception of AI, and its role in shaping policy discourse surrounding the ethics of artificial intelligence.

Collaboration with Vladan Joler: Merging Art and Critique

The collaboration between Kate Crawford, a renowned academic in AI ethics, and Vladan Joler, a Serbian artist and academic, serves as a powerful example of how art and academia can intersect to address pressing ethical issues in technology. Crawford has long focused her research on the social implications and ethical concerns surrounding artificial intelligence, examining how AI impacts society, human labor, and the environment. In contrast, Joler brings an artistic lens to the conversation, with a particular focus on visualizing the invisible systems that drive contemporary technologies.

Bridging the Gap Between Art and Ethics

While academic research often appeals to specialists and policymakers, it can be difficult to engage the general public with complex ideas about technology, ethics, and responsibility. This is where art comes into play. Joler, known for his work that often tackles hidden systems, exploitation, and invisible labor, uses his art to bring abstract issues to life, making them tangible for a broader audience. His art serves as a medium to bring awareness to the unseen consequences of technological advancements—an area that is typically overlooked in academic discourse.

Together, Crawford and Joler created Anatomy of an AI System, an art installation that provides a visual roadmap of the complex supply chains behind the creation and disposal of the Amazon Echo. The collaboration between Crawford’s rigorous academic research and Joler’s artistic visualization makes abstract academic concepts more accessible and understandable for a wide range of audiences, helping to democratize the conversation about the real costs of AI.

Mapping the Life Cycle of the Amazon Echo: From Extraction to Disposal

The installation doesn’t simply focus on the product itself; it traces the entire life cycle of the Amazon Echo, from its initial conception to its eventual disposal. This visual exploration follows the Echo’s journey through the global supply chain, from the mining of rare earth minerals needed for its components to the labor conditions that drive its production and the e-waste generated at the end of its life.

Extraction of Rare Earth Minerals

The life cycle begins with the mining of rare earth minerals such as lithium and cobalt, which are essential for the production of batteries and microchips in devices like the Amazon Echo. These minerals are extracted from regions that often experience environmental degradation, with practices that can result in water scarcity, soil erosion, and pollution. In the case of cobalt, much of the extraction takes place in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where unsafe working conditions and the use of child labor are rampant. Through data visualization, the installation sheds light on the environmental and human toll this process takes, challenging viewers to reconsider the hidden costs embedded in the tech they use daily.

Sweatshop Labor in Manufacturing

The Echo’s journey continues in factories, often located in sweatshop conditions, where workers in low-wage countries endure long hours in unsafe environments to assemble the product. In China and other countries with minimal labor protections, workers assemble the Echo under precarious conditions, often facing poor wages, excessive overtime, and the lack of healthcare or benefits. This stage of the life cycle, which goes largely unseen by consumers, raises critical ethical questions about corporate responsibility and fair labor practices in the tech industry.

The Environmental Toll of E-Waste

Finally, when the Echo reaches the end of its life cycle, it becomes part of the growing global e-waste problem. As technology advances, products like the Echo become obsolete, and consumers discard them, leading to mountains of e-waste. The installation visualizes this process, highlighting the toxicity of discarded devices, which contain hazardous materials such as lead, mercury, and cadmium. These chemicals pose serious health risks to workers in informal e-waste recycling operations, particularly in developing countries, where much of the world’s discarded electronics are shipped. The e-waste often ends up in landfills, where it leaches into the soil, polluting water systems and contaminating the environment.

Art as a Catalyst for Public Awareness and Policy Change

Anatomy of an AI System has not only garnered recognition in the art world but also sparked a global conversation about the hidden costs of modern technologies, particularly AI-driven devices. The installation’s ability to blend artistic expression with academic critique has opened up an entirely new way for people to engage with ethical issues surrounding technology. By combining data visualizations, infographics, and interactive elements, Crawford and Joler have created a piece of art that goes beyond aesthetic appeal to become a tool for social change.

Impact on Public Perception

One of the primary goals of Anatomy of an AI System is to shift public perception about AI and technology. Many consumers are unaware of the socioeconomic and environmental costs of the devices they use daily. The exhibit challenges viewers to reconsider their relationship with tech products and to think about the broader impacts of their consumption. As consumers become more aware of the hidden labor and environmental degradation behind their favorite products, there is hope that this awareness will lead to more conscious consumer behavior and greater demand for ethical tech production.

Shaping Policy Discourse on AI

Beyond public awareness, the collaboration between Crawford and Joler has had a significant impact on policy discourse surrounding the ethics of AI. By visualizing the supply chain and human cost of technology, the installation has provided policymakers and industry leaders with a new perspective on the consequences of AI development. This is a crucial step toward ensuring that policies and regulations take into account the ethical considerations surrounding AI production, particularly in areas such as labor rights and environmental protection.

In addition to raising awareness, the exhibition has catalyzed conversations about corporate responsibility and supply chain transparency. Tech companies are increasingly under scrutiny for their role in exploiting natural resources and labor. This project has pushed regulators to think about the broader implications of AI and tech production, encouraging them to implement regulations that promote ethical sourcing and fair labor practices.

Art as Advocacy and Ethical Awareness

Anatomy of an AI System is a prime example of how art can complement academic critique to ignite ethical awareness and drive policy reform. Crawford and Joler have shown that art is not only a tool for creative expression but also a powerful vehicle for social change. By using art to visualize the invisible costs of AI, they have provided a clear, compelling argument for the need to rethink the ethics of technology.

Through their collaboration, they have demonstrated how art can help bridge the gap between academic research, public perception, and policy change. By making abstract issues tangible and accessible, Anatomy of an AI System has sparked a crucial conversation about the environmental and social responsibilities tied to AI development, encouraging us all to reflect on the true costs of the technologies that shape our world.

Museum Exhibitions: Showcasing the Anatomy of an AI System

The exhibition of Anatomy of an AI System at prestigious museums such as the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York and the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London has played a pivotal role in expanding its reach and impact. These venues, known for their commitment to cultural critique, provided the perfect platforms for Crawford and Joler’s work. By exhibiting the lifecycle of the Amazon Echo in these world-renowned museums, they were able to amplify the message and engage a broader audience in the ethical considerations of AI.

At MoMA, the exhibition used large-scale visualizations, infographics, and interactive elements to display the various stages of the Echo’s lifecycle. The installation mapped out the journey of the device using visual diagrams that connected the raw materials, manufacturing processes, labor conditions, and environmental repercussions, highlighting how each step in the supply chain contributes to the creation of AI products. These visualizations had a profound impact on museum-goers, providing them with a tangible and digestible way to understand the global complexity of AI systems and their hidden costs.

For many visitors, this exhibition was the first time they were made aware of the human and environmental toll embedded in AI’s development. By displaying the stark reality of AI’s lifecycle in a museum context, the piece invited reflection on our relationship with technology and its role in shaping society. Crawford and Joler’s collaboration shows how art can be a vehicle for social change, allowing audiences to question the ethics behind the technologies they use daily.

Visualization of Global Supply Chains and Labor: Exposing the Invisible

One of the most striking elements of Anatomy of an AI System is its ability to visualize the global supply chains that sustain AI technology. Through detailed diagrams and maps, the installation exposes the journey of an Amazon Echo from its birth—via the extraction of lithium in Chile, cobalt in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and other minerals sourced from conflict zones—to its final resting place in a landfill or recycling facility.

This visual representation of the supply chain is powerful not only because of the information it conveys but also because of what it leaves out: the human labor and environmental destruction that accompany each step. The installation shines a light on the often exploitative labor practices involved in the production of AI devices. It illustrates how workers in mining and assembly plants are often subject to dangerous working conditions, low wages, and a lack of regulatory oversight.

By visualizing these connections, Crawford and Joler challenge the audience to think about the unseen costs of AI, sparking critical discussions about consumer responsibility and the need for more ethical sourcing of materials. This unveiling of hidden labor is a key contribution of the installation, urging both individuals and policymakers to reconsider how they engage with technology.

Works Cited

Crawford, K. (2021). Atlas of AI: Mapping the Dark Side of Artificial Intelligence. Yale University Press.

Joler, V., & Crawford, K. (2020). Anatomy of an AI System. Retrieved from https://anatomyof.ai

Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). (2020). Anatomy of an AI System: Exhibition at MoMA. Retrieved from https://www.moma.org

Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A). (2020). Anatomy of an AI System: Exhibition at V&A. Retrieved from https://www.vam.ac.uk

Smith, A. (2021). Exploring the Global Impact of Technology: From Mining to E-Waste. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com

Klover.ai. “Atlas of AI: Unpacking the Hidden Costs of Artificial Intelligence.” Klover.ai, https://www.klover.ai/atlas-of-ai-unpacking-the-hidden-costs-of-artificial-intelligence/.

Klover.ai. “Why AI Ethics Must Confront Environmental and Labor Justice.” Klover.ai, https://www.klover.ai/why-ai-ethics-must-confront-environmental-and-labor-justice/.

Klover.ai. “Kate Crawford.” Klover.ai, https://www.klover.ai/kate-crawford/.