Human-AI Systems for Dialogue and Listening
Through an embodied, spatial audio experience, Collective Echos makes tangible a living library of human experiences.
In the face of intensifying social fragmentation and collapse of shared reality, we look to ancient wisdoms such as small-group dialogue and sensemaking to inform the design of a novel, AI-supported pro-social communication space: the social dialogue network. Here, we gather communities in facilitated, constructive conversation and equip them with visualizations and machine learning-backed insights that empower them to “make sense” of their collective experience.
Throughout, participants maintain agency over their voice. Structures which provide the freedom and protection for each individual to dictate how and within which spheres their stories are shared enable online and in-person gatherings where all can be brave not loud. This partnership between cutting-edge and ancient social technologies enables us to nurture agency and trust in civic life, and, ultimately, bolster values core to a functioning democracy.
Collective Echos shepherds us towards an understanding of the value of personal narrative in engendering trust and how we surface underheard voices with privacy and authenticity. We invite visitors to listen and explore the breadth of our library through accompanying visualizations. This network of stories makes space for complex, empathetic interactions that we hope inspire visitors to participate in this intimate system firsthand.
Collective Echos
Maggie Hughes (US), Naana Obeng-Marnu (US), Cassie Lee (US), Spencer Russell (US), Deb Roy (US), MIT Center for Constructive Communication (US), Cortico (US)
Through an embodied, spatial audio experience, Collective Echos makes tangible a living library of human experiences emergent from our pro-social dialogue network. We invite visitors to listen to and explore the breadth of our library through movement and accompanying visualizations, and investigate how participants take agency over their voice. This network of stories makes space for complex, empathetic interactions that we hope inspire visitors to participate in this intimate system firsthand.
Collective Echos / Maggie Hughes (US), Naana Obeng-Marnu (US), Cassie Lee (US), Spencer Russell (US), Deb Roy (US), MIT Center for Constructive Communication (US), Cortico (US), Photo: Sam Woolf
Collective Echos / Maggie Hughes (US), Naana Obeng-Marnu (US), Cassie Lee (US), Spencer Russell (US), Deb Roy (US), MIT Center for Constructive Communication (US), Cortico (US), Photo: Maggie Hughes
About
The MIT Center for Constructive Communication and Cortico research, develop, and deploy social and civic digital technologies designed to bridge communities rather than divide.
Credits
The Center for Constructive Communication in partnership with Cortico
Lead Design and Curation: Maggie Hughes, Naana Obeng-Marnu
Experience designer: Cassie Lee
Audio engineer: Spencer Russell
Data processing and research: Brandon Roy
User interface developer: Dennis Jen
Program Manager: Heather Pierce
Center for Constructive Communication Director and Principal Investigator: Deb Roy
The project is presented in collaboration with the Johannes Kepler University (JKU) and the Circus of Knowledge.
