Reactor, an essential part of the I/O exhibition

Sketch of the entire exhibition, by Snøhetta

The last stop in I/O is Reaktor, where a dialogue will take place based on the experience in the exhibition.

Visitors can participate and also watch debates between artificial intelligences. As much as an exhibition, I/O becomes a dynamic arena for discussing and developing insights – about the past, present and future of information technology.

Reaktor is partly funded by the DNB Sparebankstiftelsen.

The physical arena itself is designed as a traditional courthouse with space for sixty people. It invites reflection and discussion related to the experiences in the exhibition.

Gathering point for insight

In Reaktor, children and young people in particular will be challenged, including in the areas of computer security, gaming culture, online etiquette and, not least, artificial intelligence. Technology is neither good nor evil, but it is never neutral either.

–We are incredibly happy that with an award of NOK 1,855,000 from the DNB savings bank foundation, we have the opportunity to realize Reaktor, says Frode Meinich, director of The Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology . It will be a focal point in I/O, the new, large computer and telecommunications exhibition, where knowledge and experiences from the exhibition can be processed. We are confident that this will be an important arena for understanding the most talked-about technologies of our time.

I/O – an AI-powered exhibition about the history of computing and telecommunications

The exhibition is powered by artificial intelligence (AI), and based on the data you leave when you collect your identifier at the start of the exhibition, I/O will give you different routes.

The title, I/O, plays on input/output or one/zero. This, and several linguistic pairs of opposites, actualize technological challenges. These can be human/machine, connected/disconnected, freedom/coercion, individual/society, signals/noise, alone/together – and many more. Attention is drawn to the slash, which gives the word pairs multiple meanings. The discussions are the essentials, rather than final truths about the technologies.

The inside of a computer. Photo: Håkon Bergseth

Artificial intelligence and co-creation

Reaktor will facilitate active participation and co-creation in multiple formats and for different groups. It will be a unique arena for activities, collaboration and dialogue about disruptive technologies.

Based on data, I/O will introduce questions and discussions. The ambition is for visitors to experience connections between individual objects and themes in the exhibition, in light of relevant social issues. AI can, for example, automate boring routine tasks, but also poses security challenges in the areas of privacy and energy consumption.

The interaction in I/O is controlled by AI and is continuously developed in meetings with participants. There will be interaction between children and adults, youth projects and adapted learning programs for primary and secondary schools.

From April 7, 2022

On April 7, 2022, the museum will open I/O - the new permanent AI-powered exhibition on computer and telecommunications technology, with Reaktor as its central element.

I/O was developed in collaboration with Snøhetta and covers the entire 4th floor of the museum.

I/O has three zones; Connection, Collection and Reactor.

A computer system will give each user an avatar.

Visitors connect with the exhibition by answering questions related to the technologies. The task will be to experience and collect the objects in the assigned trail. These can be social media, surveillance, games or cyber savvy.

In Reaktor, impressions and knowledge are processed and discussed.