At MoralPLai, the team is always on the lookout for events, seminars and creative experiences that explore the evolving relationship between humans, machines and technology, with a core focus on the ethical and responsible use of AI.
Since the start of the project, the goal has been clear: to learn, to get inspired and to build meaningful connections with researchers, technologists, artists, performers and institutions working at the intersection of society and artificial intelligence.
To foster broader dialogue around these topics, the MoralPLai team recently distributed a questionnaire. The insights collected will contribute to a research brief to be published in early summer. One of the respondents was George Drivas, an award-winning video artist and film director. After filling out the questionnaire, he reached out to express his interest in the project and generously extended an invitation to attend his sold-out immersive performance, Ghost in the Machine, at the historic Municipal Theater of Piraeus.
Ghost in the Machine – Gallery
Anastasia Aritzi, MoralPLai’s communications consultant, accepted the invitation and travelled to Greece for a compact, content-rich 48-hour trip. Beyond attending Ghost in the Machine, her visit coincided with two more exciting events in Athens that serendipitously aligned with the project’s field of study.
This short trip turned into a deep dive into Greece’s AI-driven creative landscape, highlighting the vibrant ways technology and the arts are being woven together to explore the future of human-machine relationships.
Discover the highlights of this short visit.
Stop 1: A Human-AI Jam Session
The first event of the trip took place on Sunday, April 6th, offering a unique and thought-provoking experience. The Paris-based IRCAM Research Institute in collaboration with the Laboratory of Music Acoustics and Technology (LABMAT) of the Department of Music Studies of the National Kapodistrian University of Athens present at the Megaron- The Athens Concert Hall an event under the title Jazz and Artificial Intelligence: The Wondrous World of Somax 2 that was described as a journey into the emerging world of the coexistence of musical creation, performance and artificial intelligence.
Jazz and Artificial Intelligence
A fascinating dialogue between man and machine
Megaron The Athens Concert Hall, April 2025
The concert was split into two parts, each pushing the boundaries of what human and AI collaboration could achieve. In the first part, the AI was challenged to engage with less familiar musical patterns, exploring themes from traditional Greek music and broader Eastern Mediterranean styles. The second part of the concert shifted focus to jazz, where the AI was invited to improvise with complex rhythms and free-flowing patterns. Rather than portraying AI as a threat to human creativity, the performance showcased how technology can serve as a dynamic partner, amplifying and extending human artistic expression. The musicians and AI didn’t simply coexist, they created a new form of synergy, where both sides pushed the boundaries of the creative process.
In his introduction, Gerard Assayag, Ircam research director and head of IRCAM Music Representation Team, highlighted the potential of AI not to replace human artists, but to enhance and expand human creativity, offering a fresh perspective on how technology can collaborate with humans to unlock new artistic possibilities.
Stop 2: Athens Digital Arts Festival – Simulacra
The next stop was the 21st Athens Digital Arts Festival, held at Athens Technopolis, a striking venue located in the old gasworks of Athens. This rare industrial monument hosted the festival, which showcased a dynamic mix of digital art installations, screenings, AR/VR/XR experiences, performances, talks and web art, each pushing the boundaries of creativity and technology.
Where does the rest of the world begin by Dagmar Schürrer
21st Athens Digital Arts Festival
Athens Technopolis, April 2025
Visitors of all ages eagerly immersed themselves in the cutting-edge artworks, discovering the seamless fusion of human creativity and technological innovation. It quickly became apparent that the festival was not just a celebration of art but also a reflection of the growing desire to understand and explore the evolving relationship between humans and machines.
Lingering Echoes by by Sjoerd van Acker
VR/AR/XR Experiences
21st Athens Digital Arts Festival
Athens Technopolis, April 2025
As attendees interacted with the installations, it was clear that Simulacra was more than just an exhibition. It was a window into the future, showcasing how digital technologies have the power to reshape the world and spark new ways of thinking, creating and connecting.
Medusa Valley, Installlation by Yiannis Kranidiotis
21st Athens Digital Arts Festival
thens Technopolis, April 2025
Stop 3: Ghost in the Machine
The final stop and main purpose of this trip to Greece took MoralPLai’s Communication Consultant to the neighboring city of Piraeus, where she attended one of the last performances of Ghost in the Machine, George Drivas’ immersive and multisensory project. The venue, a stunning neoclassical building dating back to 1895 and home to the Municipal Theatre of Piraeus, provided a dramatic and fitting backdrop for a thought-provoking experience.
A fusion of performance and visual narrative driven by AI and human interaction
“Ghost in the Machine”, directed by George Drivas
Municipal Theatre of Piraeus, April 2025
After the scheduled Sunday evening performance concluded and the audience had exited, a group of people embarked on a special extended late-night journey through the now-empty theater. The exploration began on the rooftop and unfolded across multiple levels, descending all the way to the second basement. Along the way, participants encountered a series of audio messages, screenings, live performances and George Drivas’ latest film, Biography of a Software, created entirely with the help of various AI models. The story of the film is about a “man” who wakes up with total amnesia and, with the help of an AI model, tries to remember who he is and retrieve all the information about his life.
Special extended late-night journey at the premises of the theatre
Part of the show “Ghost in the Machine”, directed by George Drivas
Municipal Theatre of Piraeus, April 2025
This intimate experience offered a profound reflection on the choices we face in shaping the future of human-AI relationships. Where do we draw the line between the real and the digital world? What kind of world are we building and how can art help us navigate these evolving questions? These are exactly the kinds of topics the MoralPLai Project explores through its research and addresses through the use of research-based theater.
In Retrospect
“Reflecting on these three events, what stands out to me is the shared, deeply human desire not just to keep up with emerging technologies like AI, but to truly explore them. It is about our intrinsic need, as humans, to engage with everything that surrounds us and to make sense of it. The arts can play a profound role in helping people understand not only the challenges and opportunities of AI, but also what is truly at stake. The MoralPLai project dares to challenge conventional methods of disseminating research, using the arts, specifically research-based theater, to address critical issues in a way that is both engaging and inclusive. Because people want, and must, understand the new world that has already emerged.” Anastasia Aritzi
Municipal Theatre of Piraeus
April 2025
This brief journey to Greece turned out to be a catalyst for reflection and a springboard for fresh ideas that will shape and inspire the next chapter of the MoralPLai project.
A timeless scene
Herodes Atticus Theater in front, with the Parthenon rising above the Acropolis
Athens, April 2025
A heartfelt thank you to George Drivas for his invitation, which not only offered a memorable experience but also opened new pathways for exploring future collaborations.
Newspost Photo:
From “Metabodies.AI”: a project by Viktoria Modesta exploring the dialogue between human will and machine imagination, on display at the 21st Athens Digital Arts Festival, Technopolis, Athens, April 2025.