This mini-project explores how to reimagine AI chatbot interactions in an Arts & Culture app (inspired by Bloomberg Connects). Throughout this process, I dove into experimenting with AI features, sketching out ideas to capture my thoughts and refine the concept. To bring it to life, I built a quick SwiftUI demo, exploring playful and intuitive interactions that could make the experience more engaging and seamless. I finally showed the demo to some friends, and they thought it was pretty fun — plus, a solid starting point for rethinking AI features. From there, I kept the ideas rolling, imagining how this could evolve even further in the XR world.
Bloomberg Connects is a super cool Arts & Culture app that lets you explore tons of iconic places, from MoMA and The New York Public Library to — surprisingly — Cornell Tech! (I was genuinely amazed to see it pop up the first time I opened the app)
While the app is packed with great content, I found the guide section — where you dive into a location — felt more like an e-newspaper, neatly organized with pictures and text but not exactly interactive. And thinking about other Arts & Culture apps that use AI chatbots? Most of them just don’t hit the mark — they try to "enhance" the experience but often make it less fun — by bombarding users with too much TEXT. That got me thinking: what if an AI chatbot could actually help users learn what they want, when they want, without pulling them out of the museum vibe?
<aside> <img src="/icons/bell-notification_red.svg" alt="/icons/bell-notification_red.svg" width="40px" /> People often need to absorb information while remaining fully engaged with their surroundings—such as when exploring a museum. Instead of overwhelming them with text-heavy details upfront, can we subtly "hide" information while keeping them engaged and exploring what they need?
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Current AI Chatbot
To bring my idea to life, I built a SwiftUI demo with a large Van Gogh figure at the center, acting as a knowledgeable museum companion. Below, animated recommendation chips personalize the experience by adapting to users’ day-to-day behaviors (What info might they need at that specific moment or location? How do they typically interact with the app?).
The chatbot stays hidden at first, encouraging users to stay engaged and absorb their surroundings naturally. But with a simple tap, the full conversation history pops up — creating a seamless, unobtrusive way to enhance learning without disrupting the museum experience.
Sketch
Version 1
Version 2
Version 3