Lynn Hershman Leeson

Agent Ruby

1998-present

The interactive, multiuser work Agent Ruby is an expanded cinema part of Hershman Leeson’s film Teknolust. The work consists of an artificially intelligent Web agent with a female persona and a website designed as the working lab of two of the Teknolust characters Rosetta Stone and Agent Ruby. Ruby, who appears as a female face with shifting expressions, chats with users and can remember their questions—although she often responds that she needs a better algorithm to reply. When prompted, she searches the Internet for information and increases her body of knowledge. Ruby ’s internal system continually changes with use, reflecting these encounters; even her moods are directly affected by web traffic. The Web agent can be accessed on the website agentruby.net.

Agent Ruby ’s EDream Portal - 2002

Agent Ruby, 1998–2002, interactive website, computer, dimensions of installation variable, installation view with 8 archival folders and wall text.  Image from: Lynn Hershman Leeson: The Agent Ruby Files, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, 2013

Agent Ruby installation, 1998–2002

Agent Ruby ’s EDream Portal, 2002, screen shot: agentruby.net. Collection of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.