In this blog post, Emma Clarke, Nic Flanagan and Helen Sheridan reflect on “The Bigger Picture” and its beginnings which started in co-creation activities to re-imagine AI images, but it quickly grew into to a call for “better images of AI” and successful exhibition which was attended by 1200 visitors in Dublin and Cork.
In 2021, the Research Ireland ADAPT Centre launched its #DiscussAI campaign, aiming to ignite a national conversation in Ireland about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its societal impacts.
This initiative quickly highlighted a frustration: the scarcity of usable images of AI that genuinely captured the technology. Stock images that are dominated by sci-fi tropes like humanoid robots, glowing brains and digital numbers don’t align with the discussions the ADAPT Centre fosters through its public engagement activities. These activities seek to demystify, discuss and educate about AI, but the majority of visual imagery out there tends to reinforce concern and confusion, rather than provide clarity.
A chance encounter at a public event about ‘Information and Misinformation through the Ages: Past, Present and Future’ paved the way for a collaborative initiative called ‘The Bigger Picture‘. This project brings together artists, AI researchers, public engagement experts, along with ‘We and AI’ and ‘Better Images of AI’, with the shared goal of collectively reimagining how we perceive AI.
At the heart of ‘The Bigger Picture’ is a participatory approach, designed to democratise the conversation around AI imagery.
Co-creation
‘The Bigger Picture: Re-imagining AI Imagery’ was a Science Week 2024 initiative funded by Research Ireland. Interactive co-creation workshop sessions in Cork and Dublin provided vibrant spaces for exploration and dialogue around art and creativity in the age of Generative AI.
We started with a simple icebreaker: “What does AI look like to you?” Doodled on post-it notes, the responses highlighted common perceptions of AI, ranging from drawings of robots, logos related to technology and depictions of Generative AI.
Through facilitated discussions and hands-on activities over the course of a half-day workshop, participants were introduced to concepts like Generative AI and Explainable AI (XAI), emboldening participants to understand the technology’s nuances and experiment with prompting techniques in a low (or no) tech way. A “Walking Debate” encouraged lively discussions on ethics, technology and artistic practices related to AI.
The co-creation phase was crucial because the insights gleaned from the half-day workshops directly informed a subsequent call for image submissions. By involving artists, creatives, technologists and people with a curiosity about AI from the outset, ‘The Bigger Picture’ ensured that the project’s artistic direction was genuinely reflective of community perspectives.
Call for Images
Building on these foundational workshops, an open call for artists and image-makers to contribute new AI imagery was launched. The challenge was clear: move beyond the “glowing brains” and “dystopian futures” to create new images that truly reflected AI’s presence and impact.
The call was structured around three main themes: “AI is Everywhere”, “AI is Human,” and “AI is Complex.” These themes allowed for a diverse range of interpretations, prompting artists to consider AI in its everyday applications, its human-driven nature and its inherent complexity.
Exhibitions in Cork and Dublin
The culmination of this participatory journey was “The Bigger Picture: Reimagining AI Imagery” exhibition in Cork and Dublin during Science Week. Eight pieces – seven images and one sculpture – were selected by an independent judging panel, each offering a unique and thought-provoking take on “AI is Everywhere.” These exhibitions, which collectively attracted over 1,200 visitors, provided a powerful visual counter-narrative to the stereotypical stock imagery we tend to see in online searches for images of “Artificial Intelligence”.
The Bigger Picture x Better Images of AI
A number of images that were submitted to the Call for Images were added to the Better Images of AI library, making them freely available for use in publications and educational contexts globally. These images have since been used in numerous online publications ensuring that the more accurate and representative visuals created through “The Bigger Picture” will continue to shape public understanding of AI long after the project’s conclusion.
Images from “The Bigger Picture” collection featured “in the wild” on webpages and articles. From left to right: (1) Tech Policy Press, (2) Cambridge Centre for Science and Policy, (3) Future Design Lab
“The Bigger Picture Project” demonstrates the power of participatory design. By empowering communities to explore, discuss, and creatively depict AI, we not only generated a rich collection of new imagery but also fostered a deeper public understanding of this transformative technology. This project demonstrates that moving beyond the sci-fi clichés requires more than just new images; it requires new ways of thinking, born from collective engagement and a shared vision for a more informed future with AI.
A zine exploring the process can be viewed here.
What’s next for ‘The Bigger Picture’?
Cruinniú na nÓg (a national day of free creativity for children and young people under 18) is an annual national celebration of youth creativity in Ireland. For 2025’s celebration, ‘The Bigger Picture’ worked with creative teens in schools in Dublin to co-create a call for images on the topic “AI is All Around Us”. Ten images, created by teens for teens, go on display in Dublin City University from 7 June – 29 July 2025. The images explore topics like AI in Education, the impact AI is having on the environment and the natural world and the growing concerns around misinformation and Deep Fake technology.
Behind the scenes of “The Bigger Picture”
While the core activities of ‘The Bigger Picture’ are driven by Dr Emma Clarke (ADAPT, DCU), Nic Flanagan (MTU) and Helen Sheridan (ADAPT, TU Dublin), the project represents a dynamic collective that brings together artists and creators (see all artists here), organisations (Better Images of AI, We and AI, ADAPT Centre, Beta Festival, DCU Arts and Culture, Cruinniú na nÓg, The Digital Hub, Dublin City Council), many co-creators, collaborators (Faye Murphy, Aisling Murray, Tania Duarte, Jenny O’Brien), schools (St Mary’s Holy Faith and St Vincent’s Glasnevin), funders (Research Ireland, Creative Ireland) and more to explore how we can move towards more representative imagery of AI through engaging participatory endeavours.
