Jan Bot Exposing the Bits & Pieces Collection Using AI and Algorithmic Montage

Jan Bot was an experimental computer programme that used AI to produce over 25,000 micro-length experimental films inspired by trending news. These films were composed of fragments from the Eye Filmmuseum’s Bits & Pieces collection, using algorithmic editing techniques. The project revisited a fundamental question in the presentation of film heritage: can archives be experienced as aesthetic objects rather than historical documents? By embracing AI’s semantic misalignments, Jan Bot explored AI aesthetics and human-machine co-creation to generate new audiovisual experiences that activate dormant archival materials. The work demonstrates how algorithmic remix challenges both conventional archival narratives and predominant uses of AI, suggesting that experimental approaches to emerging technologies can reimagine how film heritage engages with audiences in our hypermediated culture.