Trevor Paglen's 'How to See Like a Machine' Exposes AI's Grip on Visual Culture

Trevor Paglen's latest publication, 'How to See Like a Machine: Images After AI', released by Verso Books on May 19, compiles a decade's worth of his insights into the impact of computer vision and generative media on visual culture. He contends that this evolution is more significant than the advent of perspective or photography, asserting that digital images now act as operational tools for corporate and governmental agendas. The book delves into technologies such as facial recognition and license plate scanning, highlighting biases found in training datasets like ImageNet. Additionally, it investigates the alteration of human perception through references to experiments involving kittens and the CIA, while introducing the idea of the 'Society of Psyop'. Paglen cautions that these technologies distort our shared reality, suggesting that true safe spaces may only be found beyond the system. Nick Hackworth's review commends Paglen's imaginative and thorough writing, noting the book's unsettling yet undeniable conclusions. This work is a continuation of Paglen's artistic inquiry into surveillance and state authority.