Artist's AI secrets project collects hundreds of anonymous confessions
Artist Olivia Tai launched a participatory art project in San Francisco that collects anonymous confessions about people's personal relationships with artificial intelligence. The project highlights how individuals are using AI tools for emotional processing, such as grief and closure.
Why it matters
It offers a unique, human-centric look at the psychological and social impact of AI integration in daily life.
In September 2025, Olivia Tai trekked to Mission Dolores Park in San Francisco with a makeshift box, blank notecards and a cardboard sign with a message scrawled in Sharpie: "Confessions Box: Tell Me Your AI Secret."
She set up her DIY confessions booth on a sidewalk and hid out of sight, waiting for passersby to stop and contribute to her participatory art project.
Tai thought she might get a few notes referencing common use cases, like "I use AI to write my emails." Hours later, after sifting through her small collection of crowdsourced messages, one surprised her:
"I cloned my ex'es [sic] voice to have a last conversation with him. And it helped me finally move on. 10/10 recommend."
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in