In front of the unknown, we always feel a mixture of fear and hope. Today, that unknown takes the form of Artificial Intelligence. We still do not know whether it is dangerous or benevolent, and we try to deduce its intentions. When we meet a person, we can interpret their expression, their posture, the tone of their voice—but how can we do this when facing something with no human appearance? AI is often depicted as an androgynous servant or a threatening robot, images that merely reinforce our stereotypes and reveal our difficulty in imagining what lies beyond what we already know.

This is why the Close Encounters festival was created: to design new shapes for artificial intelligence. It explores our fears and our hopes—a close encounter that begins with creativity. We are not philosophers, computer scientists, or anthropologists. We are graphic designers and painters. We do not claim to offer answers, but we want to test our imagination and, through this process, discover something about ourselves, both individually and collectively.

The festival included an exhibition curated by Arcipèlago with artworks by artists from Friuli Venezia Giulia and students from ABA UD, alongside a series of lectures, performances, and an interactive symposium. The public was invited to join discussion tables where experts Janine Schemmer, Marino Capitanio, Paolo Ermano, Paolo Omero, and Fabio Chiusi explored different topics related to AI. The rotation of experts throughout the symposium offered an ever‑shifting, participatory experience.