Commissioned by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and the Serendipity Arts Festival, The Game of Whispers is an interactive and generative video game that draws parallels between the political intrigue of the Mughal Empire during Shah Jahan's reign and the role of AI-driven disinformation in today’s world. Set within a rendition of Delhi’s historic Red Fort, the piece explores how rumors, manipulation, and shifting power dynamics mirror the way modern technology, particularly AI, shapes narratives and distorts truth.
At the heart of the work are non-playable characters (NPCs)—game characters not controlled by players but by AI—and are modeled after figures from Mughal-era miniature paintings in LACMA’s collection. These NPCs are driven by advanced large language models like those powering ChatGPT, allowing them to engage in lifelike conversations that create new layers of intrigue and deepen the cycle of disinformation. As the characters spread rumors and react to the actions of others, viewers witness how a single falsehood can ripple through the palace, influencing decisions and relationships.
The artwork also speaks to India's current political climate, highlighting how history, much like modern disinformation, can be twisted to serve competing ideologies. In doing so, the work invites reflection on the fragile nature of truth in both the past and our AI-driven present.
Curated by:
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Collaborators:
Breanna Browning
Seth Rosetter
Arturo Castro
Jacobo Heredia Zurita
Ruipeng Wang
Artist:
Parag K. Mital
