The Dept. of Species Services (DSS)
A Speculative Project on AI, Ecology, and the Future of Work
With the exponential growth of AI agents, it is increasingly likely that AI will evolve beyond its current role as a mere assistant or tool. Yet as environmental challenges intensify, AI technologies are often criticized for their immense energy consumption. At the same time, anxiety continues to rise across industries about human job displacement and obsolescence.
What if AI could bridge this employment gap from a non-human-centered perspective? Could AI take on a leadership role in a Neo-Gaian evolution—one that redefines both “work” and “coexistence” for humanity?
This project speculates that by the year 2035, the first AI-led NGO in the United States—The Department of Species Services (DSS)—has been established. Its mission is to monitor local ecosystems and design non-human-centered solutions, while also creating new forms of human labor that serve other species. Individuals can apply for DSS positions and take on new ecological roles—working not for corporations or governments, but for the wellbeing of bees, rivers, forests, and other living systems in their local environments.
Upcoming Exhibition at Gray Area Art & Technology, April 2026
2025- Now (On-going)
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The project will be realized through three interconnected components:
1. DSS AI Simulations AI models analyze real-world environmental issues, such as polluted rivers, disrupted bird migrations, and urban flooding, and propose eco-centered interventions alongside new human job roles. The outcome of this stage will be a speculative catalog of DSS Job Descriptions, such as Pollination Assistant (responding to bee population decline) or Soil Listener (monitoring neighborhood soil acidity affected by acid rain and pollutants).
2. Work Tools Collection Based on these AI-generated roles, we will design and fabricate tools that humans can use to perform their ecological duties, created through AI-driven 2D/3D generative design methods. Examples include a pollination brush for the Pollination Assistant or a bio-sensing water test kit for the River Guardian.
3. Live Performance / Installation A dual-screen performance juxtaposes the future (humans using these speculative tools) with the present (bees or rivers in their natural environments). Through AI-driven video-to-video motion matching and spatial audio, the two worlds visually and sonically resonate. The audience experiences a speculative yet emotionally grounded dialogue about labor, AI, and ecology.
Credits
Shihan Zhang — Lead Artist & Designer
Mingyong Cheng — AI Technologist & Digital Experience Designer, UC San Diego
Han Zhang — Sound Artist, Computer Musician & Performer, UC San Diego
Ziwei Liu — 3D Artist