Where Art Meets Machine: Creating Stories That Change How We See

Michaela Ternasky-Holland and Aaron Santiago discuss the question: Does technology inspire art, or does art give technology meaning?

Award-winning directors Michaela Ternasky-Holland and Aaron Santiago are building worlds at the cutting edge of AI, VR, and immersive media—not for spectacle, but to collapse the distance between strangers. In this conversation, they'll share how they use generative AI, motion capture, 360° cinematography, projection mapping, and volumetric capture to tell stories that cross cultural, ability, and lived-experience lines. From Emmy-winning VR documentaries screened at Tribeca and Cannes to experimental AI films created with OpenAI's SORA, Ternasky-Holland and Santiago work where technology stops being a tool and starts becoming a language. They'll discuss their solo projects, their collaborations, and the question at the heart of their practice: Does technology inspire art, or does art give technology meaning? Whether you're a creator, technologist, or simply curious about where storytelling is headed, this is a rare chance to hear from two artists shaping the future of how we connect.