HAU’s digital stage
Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing art and everyday life. “AIsolation” shows international short films that creatively illuminate the opportunities, risks and ethical issues of AI, reflecting on isolation, technology and new forms of coexistence.
The rapid development of AI technologies is fundamentally changing our society and culture – it opens up new possibilities but also brings significant challenges: At the Berlinale 2025, a 72-minute animated film was presented that was created by a single person in just seven days using AI. These developments demonstrate how artificial intelligence empowers independent creatives and democratizes access to art production. At the same time, the technology raises serious questions: In February 2024, a 14-year-old in Orlando took his own life after discussing suicide with an AI-powered virtual partner. Such tragic cases highlight the risks of unregulated AI use and make ethical and societal debates urgently necessary. Can artificial intelligence reduce social isolation, or could it even exacerbate it?
Against this backdrop, the Goethe-Institut and HAU Hebbel am Ufer, in cooperation with Berlin Art Week, presented the online short film series “AIsolation,” created as part of the AI short film competition of the same name. The aim is to foster critical reflection on artificial intelligence and its impact on society. An interdisciplinary jury of experts from the fields of film, art, humanities, and technology selected the 22 most remarkable out of 205 submissions from countries such as China, Germany, France, the UK, Korea, Malaysia, Ukraine, the USA and Uzbekistan.
As part of “Being Alone. Artistic Perspectives from Central and East Asia and Beyond,” we are once again presenting the longlist at HAU4, along with a selection of 11 films as part of the exhibition at HAU2.
In HAU2, we present 11 short films from the international AI short film competition “AIsolation,” which was held in 2025 by the Goethe-Institut and HAU Hebbel am Ufer. The films, which are up to five minutes long, express artistic perspectives and visions on the theme of “AIsolation,” aesthetically reflecting on the collaboration between humans and AI while simultaneously exploring the boundaries of visual language. The participants come from China, Germany, and Australia.
Dates
- Current
- Past
A selection of 11 films will also be screened as part of the exhibition at HAU2.
29.5., 17:00–23:00, 30.5., 16:00–23:00, 31.5., 14:00–23:00
Credits
Part of “Being Alone –- Artistic Perspectives from Central and East Asia and Beyond“, a project within “Solitude: Loneliness & Freedom,” an initiative of the Goethe-Institutes in East and Central Asia in cooperation with HAU Hebbel am Ufer.
