Hitloop is an AI-driven art installation in collaboration with the lectorate Responsbile IT at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (AUAS) that examines the extent of human control over AI decision-making. Using music as a metaphor, this installation allows audiences to experience how human oversight influences AI-generated outcomes.
AI is inherently flawed and prone to errors. To correct these mistakes, humans can train AI systems and intervene when things go wrong. This process, known as Human-in-the-Loop (HITL) supervision, ensures that at least one person oversees the AI system to steer its effects.
We tested Hitloop as an interactive art installation at Eurosonic/Noorderslag (ES/NS) 2025 on January 16 and 17—where AI, the audience, and me as a DJ collaborated—we explored different levels of human control in AI decision-making. At the same time, we ensured the AI-generated output meets ethical and aesthetic standards set by the audience.
We used WAIVE, an open-source application developed by Thunderboom Records, to generate MIDI patterns for different instrument tracks in Ableton. Those tracks could be controlled by using the physical handheld controllers, allowing the visitors to manipulate different aspects of the final output sound.
The installation works as follows:
- A human DJ uses WAIVE to generate multiple MIDI tracks in real-time.
- Audience members can pick up one of eight hand controllers to manipulate specific instruments in real-time.
- The DJ curates and finalizes the AI-generated sound output, integrating both AI and human input.
This dynamic interaction visualizes different layers of human-AI collaboration, demonstrating both the potential and limitations of human oversight.
This project is a collaboration with Bas Pijls and Yuri Westplat and was made possible with the support of Regieorgaan SIA, Innofest, ES/NS, and Thunderboom Records.