Luc Steels, a pioneering AI researcher and emeritus professor at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), will be the only Flemish representative at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale. Alongside Japanese scientist and artist Takashi Ikegami, he will present Am I a Strange Loop?—a captivating installation in which an advanced android explores the boundaries of artificial intelligence and consciousness.
This year’s Biennale, running from 10 May to 23 November, revolves around the theme Space for Ideas, with a focus on natural, artificial, and collective intelligence. Steels and Ikegami are seizing this opportunity to showcase a unique artistic-scientific experiment: the robot ALTER3, developed at the University of Tokyo. This android is no ordinary machine—it moves, observes, and converses with visitors using sensors and an advanced Large Language Model (LLM).
A robot that reflects
Can AI ever develop self-awareness? That is the central question of Am I a Strange Loop? Steels and Ikegami draw on the theories of cognitive scientist Douglas Hofstadter, who argues that consciousness arises from a continuous loop of self-reflection. ALTER3 learns from past interactions and adapts its conversations accordingly, allowing it to respond to visitors with increasing subtlety.
But the installation goes beyond philosophy. ALTER3 also engages with pressing societal issues, such as climate change. In Venice—a city threatened by rising sea levels—the robot can actively initiate discussions about flooding and ecology.
How intelligent can machines become?
What does this mean for the future of humanity?
An interactive experience at the Biennale
Visitors will have the chance to see ALTER3 in action at the Arsenale and interact with it in English, Italian, Japanese, or Dutch. Thanks to AI-powered live translation, conversations will flow seamlessly, regardless of the language spoken.
With Am I a Strange Loop?, Luc Steels merges his scientific expertise with his artistic background. As a founding figure of AI in Europe, he established the VUB’s AI laboratory in 1983 and later worked in Paris, Barcelona, and Venice. But Steels is more than just a scientist—he has had a long-standing presence in the art world, collaborating with figures such as Anne-Mie Van Kerckhoven and Olafur Eliasson.
The Impact of AI on the Future
Steels and Ikegami challenge visitors to reflect on AI’s role in society. How far can machine intelligence evolve? What are the implications for humanity’s future? In Venice, visitors will have the chance to explore these questions—through a conversation with a robot that thinks for itself.
Luc Steels: Bridging Science and Art
Luc Steels, a pioneer in artificial intelligence and emeritus professor at VUB, studied at MIT under the supervision of AI legend Marvin Minsky. In 1983, he founded one of Europe’s first AI laboratories. He has worked at the Sony Computer Science Laboratory in Paris, the Institute of Evolutionary Biology in Barcelona, and the Center for Living Technologies at Ca’ Foscari University in Venice. In 2022, he was awarded the EURAI Distinguished Service Award, the highest honour for AI in Europe.
Beyond his groundbreaking scientific work, Steels has built an impressive artistic career. He wrote and produced the operas Casparo and Fausto, performed at venues such as La Monnaie in Brussels, the Palau de la Música in Barcelona, and the Sony Concert Hall in Tokyo. In the visual arts, he has collaborated with Anne-Mie Van Kerckhoven, Hugo Roelandt, Olafur Eliasson, and Luc Tuymans. His installations, including The Talking Heads Experiment, have been exhibited worldwide, from Antwerp to Tokyo.
With Am I a Strange Loop?, Steels continues his tradition of pushing boundaries in both research and art—inviting the public to witness the future of AI first-hand.
