Thirteenth International Conference on The Image

Abstract

What are emotions and how do they shape our lives? How is it that we might feel emotions for characters and events that are not real? Can this impact our real-life interactions with other individuals? In the last decade, the discussion has touched new domains in connection to the development of pervasive digital media and CGI imaginary. Can we develop empathic feelings for CGI characters, or for virtual assistants that are not real entities? This paper addresses some of the key points related to these questions. The first part of this paper is dedicated to a description of what emotions are according to the main current theories in the field. The second part is focused on how emotions are related to the exploitation of artworks, with particular reference to the suspension of disbelief theory. The third part considers the visual representation of AI in films, in order to analyze how emotional engagement with visual representations of AI in moving images can influence real-life interactions between users and AI.