“Higher Beings Command: AI!” Premieres at the JKU Circus of Knowledge

Director Gerhard Willert returns to the JKU's Circus of Knowledge!

Barbara Novotny and Peter Pertusini; photo credit: Nick Mangafas

Premiering on Thursday, November 14, at 7:00 PM, Gerhard Willert's new production, "Höhere Wesen befehlen: KI!" is a stroll into the world of artificial intelligence. Admission is donation-based. Sign up in advance to attend at: jku.at/zirkus, opens an external URL in a new window.

Chat GPT arrived on the market just two years ago and suddenly, AI is everywhere! Some people believe it is the answer to everything. Those who tend to be more apprehensive fear it's the end of humanity (if not the end of the world!). Company experts developing all of this are touting their products' supposedly perilous, all-powerful nature. The researchers and scientists are the ones sitting somewhere in the middle of it all.

"Höhere Wesen befehlen: KI!" explores AI and the opportunities and challenges in a humorous, entertaining way. A piece that might make you cry. Or sneeze. Perhaps even laugh. Or maybe even make you stop and think for a minute.

Actors Barbara Novotny and Peter Pertusini, along with Fadi Dorninger (music & sound design) and Alexandra Pitz (stage & costume design), are all involved in Gerhard Willert's most recent production.

JKU professors Günter Klambauer, Sepp Hochreiter, Richard Küng, Meinhard Lukas, Christoph Hubatscheke (IT:U), and the MIT Media Lab - Center for Constructive Communication provided additional consulting assistance.

Donation-based performances open to the public:

Premiere on Thursday, November 14, 2024 | 7:00 PM
Saturday, November 16, 2024 | 7:00 PM
Wednesday, November 20, 2024 | 3:00 PM

Suitable ages 13+, performance duration is 80 minutes. Seating is limited so please sign up in advance to attend at: www.jku.at/zirkus, opens an external URL in a new window.

There are also free scheduled performances for school classes beginning November 11. Click here to learn more.