Exploring the relationship between technology and power, Beta Festival’s 2024 conference explores how digital infrastructures and software have reshaped society, culture, and politics. Spanning two days, the event delves into the ways technology influences institutions, political interests, and economic and cultural practices. Bringing together artists, technologists, and researchers, the conference participants will question the forms of power and control embedded in digital infrastructures and explore strategies for redesigning these systems to meet societal demands for both individual and collective autonomy.

On the first day, discussions will focus on the ethics of AI development, its impact on democracy, and the manipulation of political systems, as well as how artists are leveraging digital tools to resist surveillance and platform capitalism. The second day will explore the transformation of creative practices by these technologies, with sessions addressing copyright and intellectual property in the age of AI, the preservation of digital cultural memory, counter-archives, and new possibilities for immersive and interactive storytelling.

Throughout the conference, keynote speakers Abeba Birhane, an accountability expert, and Kay Watson, a specialist in art and technology, will offer insights into how AI is reshaping society and culture, while exploring the limits and possibilities of individual and collective agency in this rapidly evolving digital landscape.