This November, Amsterdam becomes a global stage for the most urgent conversations around art and artificial intelligence with the arrival of Digital Cosmos, a two-day forum exploring the creative, ethical, and ecological dimensions of our algorithm-driven future. Presented by the Hartwig Art Foundation, the event will take place on November 21st–22nd, 2025, at De Thomas, a striking Brutalist church located near the future Hartwig Museum.
Bringing together world-renowned thinkers, artists, and technologists, the forum will delve into how AI is reshaping the very definitions of art, life, and reality. At the core of this gathering is an effort to imagine — and interrogate — what it means to create and live in an age of hyper-connectivity and digital memory.
Art in the Age of the Metaverse
Digital Cosmos builds on the momentum of Hartwig’s 2023 landmark conference, Art in the Age of the Metaverse, which examined how emerging technologies like AI, VR, and blockchain are altering the cultural landscape. This year’s forum continues that trajectory, asking how artistic practices respond to — and resist — the exponential rise of artificial intelligence.
The forum’s central theme centers on the concept of an extended reality, a digitally saturated environment made possible by global networks of supercomputers and data centers. These spaces fuel AI’s growth but raise critical questions about energy, memory, and the future of human agency.
A visionary lineup of participants
Confirmed speakers for Digital Cosmos include philosopher Yuk Hui, artist John Gerrard, Nolan Oswald Dennis, musician and AI researcher Holly Herndon, theorist Benjamin Bratton, artist Cory Arcangel, curator Marina Otero, and more — with additional names to be announced.
Kicking off the event on Friday, November 21st, Herndon will lead an intimate presentation and listening session (8:00 PM – 10:30 PM), immersing attendees in her ongoing experiments with machine learning and voice.
Saturday, November 22nd, features a full-day programme (10:30 AM – 10:30 PM) of keynote talks, roundtables, and panel discussions with leading voices in art, design, and tech. Themes will range from post-human creativity and environmental ethics to digital archives and the politics of virtual space.
As artificial intelligence continues to infiltrate everyday life, Digital Cosmos offers a rare platform for critical reflection, artistic experimentation, and collaborative visioning. It’s not just about what technology can do, but what kind of world we want to build with — or despite — it.
What does it mean to be an artist in the AI age? Don’t miss our interview with Holly Herndon, Mat Dryhurst, and Serpentine’s curators on the intersection of consent, collaboration, and cultural stewardship in their latest show.
Black Liberation Zodiac (Kgositsile’s Folly), 2022-ongoing
Courtesy of NOLAN OSWALD DENNIS, photography by DANIEL RÉREZ