Archive Fever & AI: Found Text and Creative Practice in the Age of Generative AI
Archive Fever & AI: Found Text and Creative Practice in the Age of Generative AI is a one-day convening about generative artificial intelligence, archival materials, and the question of who controls the historical record. Presented by Johns Hopkins University’s Program in Film and Media Studies and supported by the JHU Sesquicentennial Envisioning the Future Award, the event brings scholars, artists, archivists, and computational researchers together at the Parkway Theatre.
The program examines both the ethical and methodological challenges of applying machine learning to historical collections and the creative possibilities of using AI to uncover archival voices. It concludes with a sound performance by Victoria Keddie.
When: Saturday, November 7, 2026
Venue: The SNF Parkway (Maryland Film Festival), Parkway Theatre
Schedule: Welcome and announcements run from 9:30am to 9:45am. “The Archive Under Pressure” follows from 9:45am to 12:15pm. The lunch break is scheduled for 12:15pm to 1:45pm. “Found Text as Method” runs from 1:45pm to 4:15pm, followed by a break from 4:15pm to 4:30pm. The event ends with a sound performance by Victoria Keddie from 4:30pm to 5:30pm.
The Archive Under Pressure: This session considers the methodological and ethical implications of using machine learning with historical collections. It is moderated by Kyle Stine and features Maria Antoniak, Assistant Professor of Computer Science at the University of Colorado Boulder; Tom Lippincott, Associate Research Professor in Computer Science and English at Johns Hopkins University; Richard Marciano, Professor in the College of Information at the University of Maryland; and George Oates, Co-Founder and CEO of Deep Keep.
Found Text as Method: Poets and artists discuss using AI tools to bring archival and found voices to the surface. The session treats machine-generated material, including its errors and noise, as material for artistic creation and inquiry. Liz Flyntz moderates a panel with Lillian-Yvonne Bertram, Associate Professor of English at the University of Maryland; Victoria Keddie, Lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania and Founder and Director of Spatial Sound Union; Eryk Salvaggio, Gates Scholar and PhD Digital Humanities scholar at the University of Cambridge; and Mark Shepard, Professor in the Department of Architecture at the University at Buffalo.
Performance: Victoria Keddie presents a sound performance from 4:30pm to 5:30pm.
Tickets: Price not available
Presented by: The Program in Film and Media Studies at Johns Hopkins University
Support: JHU Sesquicentennial Envisioning the Future Award
Reservations: The event page provides a “Reserve Your Spot” option.
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