A New Frontier

Mumbai-based visual artist and filmmaker Varun Gupta delves into a detailed discussion on the AI revolution in the creative landscape, and what we need to do to prepare for it

- Koyyi Chin

Bordering towards the uncanny valley with his hyperrealistic renditions that blend fantastical futurism with the everyday life of India, Varun Gupta, a Mumbai-based filmmaker and animator, explores the intersection between technology and creativity by incorporating AI into his work.

Inspired by India’s version of the science fiction genre, Indo-Futurism, the founder and creative director of boutique content agency We Create Films predominantly uses AI programs like Midjourney and Dall-E for his visual storytelling, creating vivid snapshots of what he dubs as the “visual diaries” of the Cyborgbay Universe. From the reimagined city of Bombay in 1997, populated by humans enhanced with cybernetic implants and robotic limbs, to the vibrant streets of Nirvana Mohalla, a quiet fictional corner in Pushkar, Rajasthan where cultural traditions and technology intersect, these seemingly impossible ideas conjured by Gupta are now made tangible with the aid of AI.

However, as news calling for the regulation of AI and its disruptive effects across all industries have ramped up, it’s time that we take stock of the implications of this technology on our future. More pressingly, the creative industry is grappling with the complex issue of intellectual property rights with the involvement of AI, and how the valuation of art may undergo change precisely because of it. In the following interview, Gupta offers his perspectives with Tatler on how the advent of AI influenced his artistic practice, and why we should embrace innovation with caution.

Before we get into your work on the “Cyborgbay Universe”, what got you dabbling in AI?