Knives and Paintbrushes is a small collective of people who work at the intersection of artificial intelligence, creativity and games. We research new tools, systems and techniques that help people be creative; that create new possibilities for games and creative artforms; and that allow us all to imagine brighter futures and healthier relationships with technology.

Our name comes from a story about the MIT Model Railroad Club, which many famous MIT computer science alumni were a part of. Here's a quote from Steven Levy's book, Hackers:

There were two factions of [the club]. Some members loved the idea of spending their time building and painting replicas of certain trains with historical and emotional value, or creating realistic scenery for the layout. This was the knife-and-paintbrush contingent, and it subscribed to magazines and booked trips on aging train lines. The other faction centered on the Signals and Power Subcommittee, and it cared far more about what went on under the layout. This was The System... and it was constantly being improved, revamped, perfected. S&P people were obsessed with the way The System worked.

We've proudly named ourselves after the 'knife-and-paintbrush contingent', the faction that embraced the importance of creativity, of emotions, of history. We want to chart a different path for artificial intelligence, one that centers people, their needs, and their dreams, supported by technology they understand and control.

🗡 Knives, like the craft knives used by the model railroad club, are precise and direct; they shape and refine things. Our work uses cutting-edge techniques from artificial intelligence, game development, design and beyond. Knives are also used for cutting away unwanted things, like the scruffy edges of a papercraft model. We want to cut away the scruffy edges of AI research - the anachronistic systems, the unfair practices, the toxic attitudes.

🖌 Paintbrushes are expressive and organic; they imagine, visualise and bring things to life. Our work is directly linked to our own real practice, and we connect with creative communities, from professional to novice, to ensure we are working in tandem with society. Paintbrushes can also inspire, by showing us images of what might be. We want to inspire better visions of the future with our research, where AI can be accessed and benefit everyone.

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If you'd like to find our more about our members, you can find their profile pages here.