Generative AI as a Philosophical Mirror: Machine Hallucination and the Aesthetics of Algorithmic Representation

This case study delves into the unresolved philosophical complexities of representation in contemporary visual arts, using Refik Anadol’s Machine Hallucination series (2019–present) as a pivotal lens. By harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) to create immersive, data driven installations, Anadol’s work disrupts traditional notions of representation, authorship, agency, and viewer engagement within the dynamic, technology saturated landscape of 21stcentury visual culture. The study positions Machine Hallucination as a philosophical mirror, reflecting tensions between human creativity and algorithmic processes, reality and hyperreality, and individual versus collective meaning making. Through an interdisciplinary analysis grounded in philosophical, technological, and cultural frameworks, alongside comparisons with artists like Mario Klingemann and Hito Steyerl, this study illuminates the series’ role in redefining artistic practice while raising critical ethical questions about data, bias, and authenticity. The findings underscore representation as an evolving, unresolved issue, offering insights into its future in a world shaped by AI, virtual realities, and digital circulation.