In early 2020, I joined the Brahman.ai machine learning residency in California's Sonoran Desert. Founded by AI art pioneer Gene Kogan, this experimental community created a unique sandbox where technology, art, and desert landscapes converged. Here, creators explored the bleeding edge of human-machine collaboration while watching spectacular sunsets over the desert horizon.
My desert laboratory quickly became a space of intense learning. I dove deep into Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) with guidance from RunwayML founders and Xander Steenbrugge, expanding not just my technical toolkit but my entire conception of creative possibility. These interactions fundamentally rewired how I approach the dialogue between human intention and machine learning systems.
The residency sparked several key projects: I co-founded CAIDER (Cai × Derek), a live coding band where we generated music and visuals in real-time; experimented with pen plotters to transform digital algorithms into physical art; attempted to create music through the mechanical movements of these devices; and began developing a personal AI agent to augment my creative practice.
Our desert experiment was cut short when COVID-19 emerged in March 2020. The residency ended prematurely as borders closed and participants scattered globally. Yet despite this abrupt conclusion, the creative seeds planted in those desert months have continued to flourish.
The Brahman.ai experience fundamentally transformed my artistic trajectory. It taught me that the most exciting creative frontier isn't just about using AI tools, but about establishing a collaborative relationship with these systems—one where human intuition and machine capabilities enhance each other. This perspective continues to guide my work as I navigate the rapidly evolving landscape where code, creativity, and consciousness converge.