Every major innovation in the type industry has sparked a variety of familar reactions—from glowing praise to fierce condemnation, and everything in between. Over the centuries, predictable patterns have emerged, such that responses to the printing press, the Linotype, and even the Macintosh sound an awful lot like those surrounding AI today. Without essential context clues, can we tell the difference? More importantly, how can past reactions inform our response to the advent of generative typography?
The book was designed using a blend of modern and traditional printing methods to reflect the multiple centuries of innovations represented within
The book is organized into twelve sections, documenting twelve different reactions to various typographic innovations throughout history: exultation, condemnation, conformity, displacement, enterprise, pessimism, optimism, democratization, homogenization, ownership, pragmatism, and perspective
The AI generated fonts came from two places: Aifont by Process Studio and aicreate.com
The exhibition included take-home cards, also featuring reactionary quotes, designed to leave the viewer guessing, "AI or Nay-I"?
Read the entirety of my research, "The History and Future of Typography," here.
