Along with getting us to perpetually sing “On a Roll” for the rest of our days, Black Mirror’s Ashley O (played by Miley Cyrus) introduced the mildly terrifying concept of a popstar brought to life by artifical intelligence and holographic technology. Barbican is now bringing this idea into (virtual) reality through an evening with one of the world’s first AI popstars, Yona.

Coinciding with their ‘AI: More Than Human’ interactive exhibition this summer, on the 23rd August the arts centre is offering a night of discussion with Yona’s co-creator, musician Ash Koosha, and virtual entertainment company Auxman’s co-founder Negar Shaghaghi – along with popstar Yona herself. Expect to learn about what goes into creating a virtual entertainer and what the future could hold for AI, before settling in to experience a multi-media performance from the slightly unnerving Yona.

There’s no escaping the current fascination with blurring the lines between technology and reality. Virtual assistants like Alexa and Ophelia are an increasing presence amongst our homes. The next steps in developing sentient beings through artificial intelligence are coming, and this event will attempt to answer the burning questions in our minds about AI – whether you’re fascinated or disturbed at the thought. Plus, seeing Yona in the flesh(?) is a unique experience not to be missed.

You can get your tickets for the event here.