This year has been a progressive one for AI. We have seen it used for countless applications and integrated into tech products. With the new year right around the corner, it seems appropriate that someone would find a way to use AI for celebratory purposes as well, particularly fireworks.
Sydney's AI-Powered Fireworks Display
The most populated city in Australia relies on modern technology to dazzle those anticipating a spectacle for New Year's Eve. Instead of the traditional fireworks, a designer has devised a way to do just that using AI-generated imagery.
With over 58,000 individual fireworks set up, the creator of the upcoming year-end show, Joseph Pole, said it will be the world's first production of this scale. "The result is a new level of creative expression for us and a visual feast for the audience."
The display will no longer use explosive components to create light and will instead be projected onto the sky. The visuals will be synchronized with music, which over a million people are expected to watch, as reported by Interesting Engineering.
The music is specially created for the event. Sydney's 18YOMAN and Nooky composed original music for the first segment of the light show, while The Sweats from Brisbane will choose the songs for the main event at midnight.
The projections will be shown on the eastern side of the pylons on Sydney Harbor, which will span four hours on December 31st. There are two segments to watch out for: One will be displayed for eight minutes at 9 PM, while the main one will be 12 minutes long when midnight strikes.
If you wish to spectate the event, you may do so even when you choose to stay inside or are not in Sydney. ABC will televise the AI fireworks show on the harbor starting at 8:30 PM, earlier than the first segment.
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The Beginning of AI-Powered Fireworks
With this innovative and festive approach, people might soon prefer projected light displays generated by AI over traditional fireworks. Other than it being the safer way to dazzle audiences, it is also more environmentally friendly.
When fireworks explode in the air, the chemicals used to trigger that reaction will linger in the atmosphere, causing it to be toxic for humans and animals alike. Contaminants like carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen, and sulfur dioxide will not immediately disperse.
Furthermore, it will be an unsettling night for wildlife. As per Earth, loud noises and sudden flashes of light can disturb the animals, causing them anxiety throughout the occasion. This could result in them leaving their habitats and even suffering health consequences.
There's a case in Rome where hundreds of birds were found dead in the streets after the city's streets after the New Year's Eve fireworks event in 2021. The International Organisation for the Protection of Animals believes that the cause was related to the loud sounds from fireworks and firecrackers.
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