Justine Emard's AI-driven 'Le Chant des sirènes' debuts at Noûs festival in Paris

Justine Emard presents 'Le Chant des sirènes' at the inaugural Noûs festival, dedicated to AI creation, hosted by the Bibliothèque nationale de France until April 19, 2026. The immersive installation explores the life cycle of an algorithm through emergence, autonomy, and collapse, using medieval manuscripts from the BnF to reimagine sirens as monstrous figures. Emard collaborated with AI expert Yassin Siouda in Lyon to train local network models, controlling energy consumption and avoiding biases. Sound design by Antoine Bertin incorporates synthetic voices, AI-generated melodies, and bearded seal calls. A 3D-printed bas-relief was produced with Les Compagnons du Devoir in Nantes, blending digital and traditional craftsmanship. Emard, a Clermont-Ferrand native, studied at the Beaux-Arts and holds a master's in cultural project management, with over a decade of work at the human-machine interface. She emphasizes that AI is a collaborative tool, not a replacement for artists, as it lacks human cultural heritage and emotional context. The festival is a production of Fisheye and the BnF, offering a hybrid experience where viewers physically engage by bending into the artwork.