Refik Anadol's Dataland, billed as the world's first A.I. art museum, will open on June 20 in Los Angeles after more than two and a half years of planning. Founded by Anadol and his partner Efsun Erkiliç, the museum is housed inside the Frank Gehry-designed Grand L.A. complex and features five galleries. Its debut exhibition, "Machine Dreams: Rainforest," uses ecological data processed through Anadol's Large Nature Model to create digital sculptures simulating possible rainforests. The museum, designed by Gensler, dedicates nearly a third of its 35,000 square feet to operational hardware and runs on 87 percent carbon-free energy.
Dataland matters because it represents a major institutional commitment to A.I.-generated art at a time of widespread anxiety about artificial intelligence. By positioning itself as a "living museum" that collaborates with machine intelligence, it challenges traditional definitions of art and authorship. The museum also strengthens Los Angeles's cultural corridor, joining MOCA, the Broad, and Walt Disney Concert Hall, and solidifies Anadol's role as a pioneer in digital art. Its use of open-source data from the Smithsonian and other institutions raises important questions about sustainability, energy use, and the future of museum practice in the A.I. era.