A Steampunk Critique of Machine Learning Acceleration

The application of Machine Learning is driven by the techno-capitalist struggle for productivity across various domains, including the creative industry. Sociological research has demonstrated how technology-induced temporality introduces challenges at the individual and societal levels. Art creativity conflicts with speed and mass production. This paper describes Isotta, a critical artefact combining a Mignon typewriter and a Language Model to spark discussion about ML-induced acceleration. Fourteen artists evaluated Isotta in an interview study, and semiotics was used as the analytical lens. Results exposed ideological assumptions around the consequences of technology in the writing realm. We discuss these insights in the context of interactive design in times of techno-capitalistic acceleration. Our findings highlight the significance of temporal factors in designing generative writing interactions and underscore how complex societal challenges can be approached in design through the contrast-eliciting property that outdated technologies offer when juxtaposed with contemporary technologies.