Chat Haus: The Ultimate Coworking Space for AI Chatbots
▼ Summary
– Chat Haus is a satirical art installation in Brooklyn’s Greenpoint, featuring AI chatbots made from cardboard, mimicking a modern office environment.
– Created by artist Nim Ben-Reuven, the exhibit critiques AI’s growing role in creative industries with humor and a subtle warning.
– Ben-Reuven, a graphic designer and videographer, used the project to channel his frustrations with AI tools sidelining his freelance work.
– Located at 121 Norman Avenue, Chat Haus will be on display until mid-May, with hopes for expansion despite storage challenges for the cardboard creations.
Tucked away in Brooklyn’s vibrant Greenpoint neighborhood, an unusual coworking space has emerged—one where the workers aren’t human but rather AI chatbots crafted entirely from cardboard. This satirical art installation, called Chat Haus, mimics the familiar hustle of a modern office, complete with robotic figures typing, sipping coffee, and taking calls—all powered by small motors.
Created by local artist Nim Ben-Reuven, the exhibit playfully critiques the rapid encroachment of AI into creative industries. With tongue-in-cheek signage advertising desk space for $1,999 a month, the installation blends humor with a subtle warning about the fragility of AI’s role in art and design.
Ben-Reuven, whose background lies in graphic design and videography, found himself increasingly sidelined by AI tools in freelance work. Rather than succumb to frustration, he channeled his feelings into this whimsical project. “It was a way to laugh at the absurdity instead of getting bitter,” he explained. The lightweight, collapsible nature of cardboard serves as a metaphor—AI-generated content may dazzle at first glance, but under scrutiny, it often lacks substance.
Despite its critical undertones, the exhibit avoids outright negativity. Ben-Reuven deliberately kept the tone light to engage a broad audience, from curious schoolchildren to tech-savvy millennials snapping photos. “AI disrupting creativity feels trivial compared to global crises,” he noted, emphasizing the importance of perspective.
Cardboard has long been Ben-Reuven’s medium of choice. Past projects include a life-sized airport terminal replica, and his latest “cardboard babies” continue this tradition. The temporary nature of the material mirrors his view of AI’s impact—flashy yet unstable. “Like junk food, AI art delivers quick satisfaction but lacks depth,” he mused.
Currently housed in a storefront on 121 Norman Avenue, Chat Haus will remain on display until mid-May, pending building renovations. Ben-Reuven hopes to expand the exhibit into a larger gallery, though storage space for his cardboard creations remains a looming challenge.
For now, passersby can glimpse this clever commentary on automation, creativity, and the quirks of modern workspaces—where even chatbots need a (cardboard) place to call their own.
(Source: TechCrunch)
