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Welcome to the Better Images of AI community blog. You can read the posts below for insights on visualising AI, alongside news relating to our library. As a community blog, anyone is welcome to contribute, so long as it meets the interests of our readers and is written in an accessible way. If you’re interested in sharing your knowledge, please get in contact here.

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A hand-illustrated collage graphic represents optimistic people power in a green flourishing landscape. Logos for Better Images of AI and the AI Resist List are above against a light blue background.
Better Images of AI on the AI Resist List: countering disempowering AI narratives
Illustration credit: Yemariam Mamo and Pauline Wee for the AI Resist List Just over a month ago in July, we Read more
An archival, vintage-style image of a crowd of men. Three men's faces are signalled out by coloured bounding boxes. The text 'Visualising 'AI afterlives' overlays the image.
Visualising ‘AI afterlives’
In this blog post, Jenny Kidd and Eva Nieto McAvoy from the Synthetic Pasts project share their own experiences of Read more
On the left is a grey-scale version of a rat with inaccurate and oversized reproductive organs recognisable from an academic article which contained AI slop. The image has been edited to be sliced, and blue painted torus icons overlay the image. The background features a green mountainous range with a magenta tiled floor and gradient sky. Over the top, the text 'Our Approach to Generative AI in Better Images of AI' features in the left corner in a white text box.
Our Approach to Generative AI in Better Images of AI 
Cover image credit: Marcin Wilkowski / Better Images of AI / CC BY 4.0 Claims about the productivity and efficiency Read more
A group of five cloud shapes float across a blue background. The clouds are collages made out of close up photographs of shiny silver silicon surfaces. Beneath, the text, 'Everything, Ecowhere, AI at Once?' is printed in light text.
Everything, Eco-where, AI at Once?
In this blog post, Laura Martinez Agudelo builds upon her research of visual representations of ecology and digitalisation to explore Read more
The image is split into 4 quadrants, which alternate 2 of Gloria's images. One of the images shows a man showing mental distress from constant exposure to harmful content online. His family, in the background, progressively disappears. The other image shows cooling pipes hug data servers, extracting water from a shared reservoir while people collect water from the same source, set against a background of eroded soil textures. In the middle of the 4 quadrants is the book cover of Karen Hao's 'Empires of AI'.
Visualising the Empire of AI with Gloria
Gloria Mendoza's images illustrate the hidden human and environmental forces which prop up the 'Empire of AI'. After reading Karen Read more
Paper collage. The Art Deco swimming pool of the Villa Empain in Brussels, its elegant facade visible in the background, with the water replaced by rows of computer servers.
Localising AI's Visual Culture with Brussels Heritage
Images spread across tables, sheets pinned to walls, scissors and glue sticks everywhere. An incongruous setting for people who work Read more
On the right, a simplistic illustration of a server rack with wires trailing out of it. A yellow sticky note is taped to the rack with a drawing of cartoon sparkles. Text on the left reads: The Mystical Art of Making Maths Sparkle: A Wizard's Guide to Statistical Sorcery, by Berk Alkoç
The Mystical Art of Making Maths Sparkle: A Wizard's Guide to Statistical Sorcery
As you navigate digital interfaces, you'll increasingly find a sparkle icon used to represent 'AI', 'AI features' or 'AI-driven processes'. Read more
A poster with the text 'Submission Handbook for Better Images of AI: Available Now!' with three bullet points beneath which state 'Image criteria, IP guidance, and AI policy'. On the right is a picture of the cover of the Guide which has a collage of pictures from the library at the bottom and the top. In the centre is the text, 'Submission Handbook for Better Images of AI' with explanatory text beneath.
Submission Handbook for Better Images of AI
In 2025, we uploaded 60+ images to our library. During this time, we've been fortunate to work with several organisations Read more
A photographic rendering of a simulated middle-aged white woman against a black background, seen through a refractive glass grid and overlaid with a distorted diagram of a neural network.
Why We Need Better Images of AI From Science Fiction
Science fiction plays a decisive role in shaping perceptions of technology, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), not only through its literary Read more
Two of Julieta's images sit on a slant on the right. On the right side, the text 'Behind the Image Series' in turquoise text box with black text. Underneath, in black text reads: 'Behind the Image: Digitalisation and Moonlighting'. In dark purple text, 'Julieta Longo in conversation with Laura'.
Behind the Image: Digitalisation and Moonlighting
In this blog post, Laura Martinez Agudelo (volunteer steward) chatted to Julieta Longo (artist) behind the series of images ‘Digitalisation Read more
A image taken from the back of the room of the audience members watching and listening to the Tipping Point panelists talking. The panelists are sat in a row at the front with a BRAID and Tipping Point banner and projector behind them
Tipping Point Artists Panel: Unlocking potential and plurality through creative interrogations of responsible AI
At the end of summer, Better Images of AI were invited to the Tipping Point exhibition commissioned by BRAID in Read more
Bird's eye view photo of a small hut and a concrete path through a lush green forest. However, the image is slightly distorted by digital artefacts. In the right corner, there is a dark purple text box, with the text in white 'Visualising the Supply Chain of AI' and underneath in a white text box with black text, 'Lone Thomasky and Bits & Bäume'.
Visualising the Supply Chain of AI: Lone Thomasky and Bits & Bäume’s Image Collection
You might have noticed a new collection of images from Lone Thomasky and Bits & Bäume in the library. These Read more
Three of Yutong's (the artist) images from her 'Digital Nomads' collection are stacked on top of each other on the right side in a pane. On the right, the text 'Context, Clicking Cursors, and Choreography' is in black with 'Behind Digital Nomads' in italics. Beneath, the texts 'with Harriet and Yutong' in deep purple with a tag that says "behind the image series"
💃🏽 Behind ‘Digital Nomads’: context, clicking cursors, and choreography
In this blog post, Harriet Humfress (a volunteer steward) explores Yutong Liu's (artist) collection of “Digital Nomad” images which were Read more
A collage of 8 different book covers of books about AI which are discussed in the blog post. In the centre, separating each row of 4 covers, the text reads: "Better images of AI on book covers?" "book covers" is italicised to emphasise the content of the blog.
Better images of AI on book covers
We’re often told not to judge a book by its cover. And yet, a cover is often the reason why Read more
A screenshot of the cover of the Attribution Guide alongside the text: "Tips and tricks to attribute Better Images of AI in our new guide!"
Attributing Better Images of AI
In this post, we discuss how to correctly attribute images downloaded from our image library. It's the legal requirement under Read more
Exhibited images from the library line the two walls of a corridor with people walking through and exploring the images.
Reimagining AI in Cambridge with CHIA  
Earlier this year, we were invited to Cambridge (UK) for an exhibition of some of the visuals from the Better Read more
On the left is Nicole's image which shows a single tree silhouette is composed of a mosaic of an array of small, colourful images of various types of trees in a collage. The images are projected onto a cutout shape of a tree and overlap in vibrant layers. The tree sits against a dark forest background with a white drop shadow which creates distance between the tree and the forest behind it. The base of the tree features a bright green grass wrapped around the trunk. On the right, the text reads: 'Behind the Forest, there are Trees', 'Nicole Crozier' in conversation with Laura. In a blue text box, it reads 'Behind the Image Series'.
🌳 'Behind the Forest, There are Trees': Nicole in conversation with Laura
In this blog post, Laura Martinez Agudelo (one of our amazing volunteer stewards) interviews Nicole Crozier, the artist behind the Read more
Building blocks are overlayed with digital squares that highlight people living their day-to-day lives through windows. Some of the squares are accompanied by cursors. Below, there is the article title, "Windows, Cursors, and the Invisible Layer of the City by Berk Alkoç"
Windows, Cursors, and the Invisible Layer of the AI City by Berk Alkoç
Artist contributions to the Better Images of AI library have always served a really important role in relation to fostering Read more
The title "judging visual representations of AI" is at the top of the image. Circle shaped frames of headshots of each of the images are below. The left features a decorative image of a woman working simultaneously as a delivery worker, remote employee, and caring her child, representing the opportunities and risks of work digitalization.
Judging Visual Representations of AI: Dialogue, Difference, and Diversity
Recently, the ESRC Centre for Digital Futures at Work (Digit) and Better Images of AI ran a competition aimed at Read more
Four individuals participating in 'co-creation' activities by chatting and sharing ideas on post-it notes,
The Bigger Picture Exhibition: Re-imagining AI Imagery
In this blog post, Emma Clarke, Nic Flanagan and Helen Sheridan reflect on "The Bigger Picture" and its beginnings which Read more
Poster announcing the winners of the Digital Dialogues Art Competition. White text reads 'Winners Announced' with maroon background. In the middle, there is a collage of some of the winning images. Includes logos of ESRC, Better Images of AI and Digit.
Winners Announced: Competition to Visualise ‘Digital Transformation at Work’
In April, the ESRC Centre for Digital Futures at Work (Digit) and Better Images of AI (BIoAI) launched a competition Read more
A red-toned illustration shows a man's head surrounded by swirling AI icons, with small, mischievous witch-like figures flying around him. The man's expression appears disoriented and fatigued. Below is the text 'AI Am Over The Hype' by Rameez Raja.
'AI Am Over The Hype' by Rameez Raja
Artist contributions to the Better Images of AI library have always served a really important role in relation to fostering Read more
Open Competition to Create More Realistic Stock Images of 'Digital Transformation at Work'
ANNOUNCEMENT Calling all artists and makers! The ESRC Digital Futures at Work Research Centre (Digit) and Better Images of AI Read more
A laptopogram displaying a dataset as cloud-like clusters of black blobs on a neutral background. There are three larger collections, almost resembling a map, with some data points leaking out into the negative space. Over this image, is the text ''Through My Eyes Blog Series' in the right top corner in white text in a maroon text box/ Below the image, is the text 'Exploring Complexity in the Data Flock' (bold) 'By Joe Bourne' against a light blue background.
Exploring Complexity in the Data Flock by Joe Bourne
Artist contributions to the Better Images of AI library have always served a really important role in relation to fostering Read more
This image shows an abstract microscopic photograph of a Graphics Processing Unit resembling a satellite image of a big city. The image has been overlayed with a bright blue filter. In the middle of the image is the text, 'Images of AI - Between Fiction and Function' in a white text box with black text. Beneath, in a maroon text box is the author's name in white text.
Images of AI – Between Fiction and Function
“The currently pervasive images of AI make us look somewhere, at the cost of somewhere else.” In this blog post, Read more
At the top there is a Diptych contrasting a whimsical pastel scene with large brown rabbits, a rainbow, and a girl in a red dress on the left, and a grid of numbered superpixels on the right - emphasizing the difference between emotive seeing and analytical interpretation. At the bottom, there is black text which says 'what do i see in ways of seeing' by Zoya Yasmine. In the top right corner, there is text in a maroon text box which says 'through my eyes blog series'.
What Do I See in ‘Ways of Seeing’ by Zoya Yasmine
Artist contributions to the Better Images of AI library have always served a really important role in relation to fostering Read more
At the top, Digital collage featuring a computer monitor with circuit board patterns on the screen. A Navajo woman is seated on the edge of the screen, appearing to stitch or fix the digital landscape with their hands. Blue digital cables extend from the monitor, keyboard, and floor, connecting the image elements. Beneath, there is the text in black, 'Weaved Wires Weaving Me' by Laura Martinez Agudelo'. In the top right corner, there is a text box in maroon with the text in white: 'through my eyes blog series'
'Weaved Wires Weaving Me' by Laura Martinez Agudelo
Artist contributions to the Better Images of AI library have always served an important role to foster understanding and critical Read more
A black-and-white image depicting the early computer, Bombe Machine, during World War II. In the foreground, the shadow of a woman in vintage clothing is cast on a man changing the machine's cable.
Hanna Barakat's image collection & the paradoxes of depicting diversity in AI history
As part of a collaboration between Better Images of AI and Cambridge University's Diversity Fund, Hanna Barakat was commissioned to Read more
An image with the text 'Winners Announced!" at the top in maroon. Below it in slightly lighter purple text it states: 'Reihaneh Golpayegani for Women and AI' and 'Janet Turra for Ground Up and Spat Out'. Their two images are positioned on the image at a slant each in opposite directions. At the bottom, there is a maroon banner with the text 'University Diversity Fund' in white, the CFI logo in white, and the Better Images of AI logo.
Winners of public competition with Cambridge Diversity Fund announced
At the end of 2024, we launched a public competition with Cambridge Diversity Fund calling for images that reclaimed and Read more
Ornage and red picture of people at computer terminals with networks overlaying them
Public Competition for Better Images of (teaching and learning) AI!
Call for images: Reclaiming and Recentering the History of Diversity in AI Education at the University of Cambridge Cambridge and Read more
Press release: New playbook released to enable creation of images of AI using free and open licence digital heritage collections...
LONDON / AMSTERDAM 4th December 2024: As AI continues to make headlines and evolve in ways that impact the general Read more
📚Book Review: Screening Big Data: Films That Shape Our Algorithmic Literacy  
Drawing on films and documentaries about big data, machine learning and AI, including analysis of the sociological and critical theory Read more
The image features the title "Beneath the Surface: Adrien's Artistic Perspective on Generative AI." The background consists of colourful, pixelated static, creating a visual texture reminiscent of digital noise. In the centre of the image, there's a teal rectangular overlay containing the title in bold, white text.
Beneath the Surface: Adrien’s Artistic Perspective on Generative AI
May 28, 2024 - A conversation with Adrien Limousin - a photographer and visual artist, sheds light on the nuanced Read more
💬 Behind the Image with Yutong from Kingston School of Art
This year, we collaborated with Kingston School of Art to give MA students the task of creating their own better Read more
The image shows a colourful illustration of a story-like scene, with two half star characters performing various tasks. The stars, along with a wizard, are interacting with drawings, magnifying glasses, and magic-like elements. Below that, there is a scene with a fantasy landscape, including a castle and dragon. To the right of the image, text reads: 'Behind the Image with Minyue' and below that, a tagline reads: 'Let AI Become Your Magic Wand' which is the name of Minyue's image submission. The background of the image is light blue.
🪄 Behind the Image with Minyue from Kingston School of Art
This year, we collaborated with Kingston School of Art to give MA students the task of creating their own better Read more
👤 Behind the Image with Ying-Chieh from Kingston School of Art
This year, we collaborated with Kingston School of Art to give MA students the task of creating their own better Read more
An image with a light blue background that reads, 'Let's Collab!' at the top, the word 'Collab' underlined in burgandy. Below that, it says 'Better Images of AI x Kingston School of Art' with 'Kingston School of Art' in teal. Below the text is an illustration of two hands high-fiving, with black sleeves and white hands. Around the hands are burgundy stars.
Better Images of AI's Partnership with Kingston School of Art
This year, we were pleased to partner with Kingston’s School of Art to run an elective for their MA Illustration, Read more
Visuals of AI in the Military Domain: Beyond ‘Killer Robots’ and towards Better Images?
In this blog post, Anna Nadibaidze explores the main themes found across common visuals of AI in the military domain. Read more
Better Images of AI's Student Stewards
Better Images of AI is delighted to be working with Cambridge University’s AI Ethics Society to create a community of Read more
Seventeen multicoloured post-it notes are roughly positioned in a strip shape on a white board. Each one of them has a hand drawn sketch in pen on them, answering the prompt on one of the post-it notes "AI is...." The sketches are all very different, some are patterns representing data, some are cartoons, some show drawings of things like data centres, or stick figure drawings of the people involved.
How not to communicate about AI in education
Camila Leporace – journalist, researcher, and PhD in Education – argues that innovation may not be in artificial intelligence (AI) Read more